Central Museum of Contemporary History. Museum of Contemporary Russian History

16 years in Moscow and walking back and forth, back and forth, like Zhenya Lukashin, past the former English Club, to finally go inside and behold, the famous courtyard, the red and white semicircle of the mansion, you stand, shift, think, well, how can you just go in? Where Gilyarovsky was not allowed in, but rather allowed in, where Alexander Sergeich was imprisoned, where Comrade Tolstoy once lost so much that he had to be rescued, or else seriously. It is unknown what the Masons were whispering about here and, apparently, not without the owner of the house Kheraskov, but the matter ended in arrest, and there are still whispers in the house. There was a lot of shouting, crying, talking, muttering, singing, saying, overhearing, and what have you, and a lot of food was eaten, and a lot was drunk. And it’s impossible not to feel this, even though a completely modern history is in full swing, much more modern. Well, where else in one place can you see Putin, and Yeltsin, and Starovoytova, Listyev, Kholodov, Gorbachev, the chief mufti, a Buddhist, a rabbi, Afisha’s picnic, Gagarin, Sklyar’s guitar, Pelevin’s antics, coins with Tchaikovsky, Tsvetaeva, Vakhtangov, Ulanova, perestroika posters, a pass for traveling around Moscow in August 1991, election porcelain and even a robot tour guide who joyfully agrees to the offer of a hug, and when asked “is it possible to be a hooligan” carefully avoids the answer “not today.” Nicholas II and at that time were prudently allocated a couple of halls in the distance, where a vinaigrette of everything at once - photographs of the imperial couple, Chernyshevsky and what to do, speeches of Nizhny Novgorod workers at the trial, flogging of serfs, Social Democratic Party, Russian-Turkish war, increasing tension with Japan, Circum-Baikal railway, Abkhazian alphabets, sabers, bast shoes, sickles, old maps, posters and even the travel schedule of His Imperial Majesty with detailed instructions to those greeting them. We can say that the museum’s exhibition is quite chaotic, galloping to the top, and in some places even strange to the point of rejection - a poster with an armed soldier with the inscription “Politeness of the city takes” (?), all at once and in a heap - eras, regimes, congresses, revolutions, wars, overthrows, coronations, culture, politics, history, patriotism. Pedants probably won’t like this bouillabaisse soup here. But it is precisely the contrasts that make the museum interesting; you can be inspired by some topic and calmly dig at it at home, delve deeper, dig for sources. And, it seems to me, this is an excellent museum for the first acquaintance of older children with history in an entertaining and concise format, who will certainly be interested in bright stands, dynamic stands with photo collages, a transparent floor under which the hurricane events of perestroika with stones, bullets and scraps of newspapers, sarcastic posters , some graffiti on the floor, warriors, astronauts, bright suits, and, of course, a lot of interactivity, screens that you can click on, headphones, screaming stands with an audio background. To some, the museum may seem superficial and empty, and in some places too pressing on the patriotic chord, but to people of the 70-90s. release it will be interesting to draw a line between the past and the present. This is not a textbook museum, but a mood museum. Probably, the spirit of bygone times is still bubbling and does not allow one to become serious and teach. It's such a fun place.

State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia

The Museum of Contemporary History of Russia is located in the very center of Moscow and occupies a magnificent architectural building - an example of late neoclassicism. It is the leading history museum in Russia and has the status of an institution of federal significance.

The museum appeared on the map of Moscow more than 90 years ago, and since then it has been continuously collecting and accumulating materials. The institution is also a center for research work in the field of Russian history, from the end of the 19th century to the present day.

The museum staff constantly researches, exhibits and studies the economic, political and cultural life of the country over a period of 150 years of history. This is done on the basis of more than a million documents stored in the annals of the museum. In its activities, the museum cooperates with the Department of History of Moscow University. Lomonosov and with the Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The institution often hosts international symposiums, scientific and practical conferences and thematic exhibitions.

The museum is also a methodological center that coordinates the work of regional history museums and conducts training for museum workers.

History of the creation of the Museum of Contemporary History of Russia

In March 1917, the famous journalist and historian V.P. Kranichfeld initiated a meeting of historians, scientists and public figures with the aim of creating a Museum of the Revolution in Moscow. It was decided that the museum would collect the most diverse sources into funds in order to conduct research work on the study of the Russian liberation movement.

In 1924, the State Museum of the USSR Revolution was opened on the basis of the Moscow Museum of Revolution. The main direction of his activity was to promote the inevitability of the 1917 revolution, which radically changed the life of a huge empire.

The museum was well supported by the state, improved the quality of its exhibitions and was very popular in the country and among representatives of working delegations from other countries. Many collectors, artists and writers considered it an honor to make a gift to the museum. Thus, the famous artist I. Repin donated 4 of his paintings to the museum, telling about the tragic events in the life of the country. By the beginning of the war, the institution already had three branches.

In 1968, a methodological center for teaching museum work was opened on the basis of the museum. In 1998, the museum acquired its modern name and appearance.

Exposition of the Museum of the History of Modern Russia

The museum's exhibition includes a number of halls in the main building of the museum and its branches. In the main building it begins with the introductory hall. The first hall is dedicated to political events and the life of Russia at the turning point of the reforms of the late 19th century and the abolition of serfdom. In the next room you can get acquainted with the economic life of Russia during that period. Next comes a hall dedicated to the political and social life of the country at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Russo-Japanese War Hall reflects the tragedy of Russia's failure, which gave a powerful impetus to the development of the national liberation movement in the country, which subsequently led to revolution and a change of system.

The period from 1905 to 1916 became the most dramatic in the history of the country; during this period, the labor movement gained strength, the Bolshevik Party grew stronger, as a result of which the country received a revolutionary situation.

After the period of 1917, the museum's exhibition tells about the Soviet period of the country, its politics, economics and culture. This is followed by rooms from the period of modern history, dealing with the events of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Thematic exhibitions of the Museum of Contemporary History

Memorial Museum "Presnya";
- Underground printing house of the period 1905-1906;
- museum-apartment of the revolutionary G.M. Krzhizhanovsky;
- “Katyn” memorial in the Smolensk region”;
- E. Yevtushenko’s house in Peredelkino.

The Museum of Contemporary History of Russia is a large research and methodological institution of federal significance, exhibiting materials from the new and recent history of life in Russia.

Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (Moscow, Russia) - exhibitions, opening hours, address, phone numbers, official website.

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The State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia is the largest and, perhaps, the most important center for the study of modern Russian history. Its constantly replenished funds and exhibitions are like a mirror reflecting the key events that determined the development of society and the country from the second half of the 19th century to the present day.

Among the museum's exhibits are personal belongings of famous people, telling about evolutionary and revolutionary transformations, wars and everyday life, the struggle of ideas and the culture of the Russian Empire, the USSR and the Russian Federation.

Story

The museum is located in the heart of the capital, in an architectural monument of the 18th century. From 1831 to 1917, meetings of the Moscow English Club took place within its walls.

The English Club is one of the centers of Russian political and social life. He was known for his dinners and card games. Members of the club, representatives of the elite, largely determined public opinion and the political life of the country in general.

Since 1917, the Museum of the Revolution opened in this building on Tverskaya. The main directions of his work were the collection, study and storage of materials about the Russian liberation movement.

In 1968, the institution was transformed into the Central Museum of the USSR Revolution. And a year later it became the first museum of the Soviet Union with scientific research functions. In the 80s, in the wake of glasnost, the museum decided to abandon active communist propaganda and declassified its funds. In 1998 it was renamed the Museum of Contemporary History of Russia. Naturally, this entailed a large-scale transformation of the exhibition.

Time does not stand still, and this means that the collection of museum exhibits also changes.

What to see

Visitors are greeted by an exhibition telling about autocracy and serfdom. The presented documents from the time of Alexander III describe the well-known peasant reform, changes in the judicial and military systems, as well as in local government.

A separate exhibition is dedicated to the feat of the cruiser “Varyag” and the defenders of Port Arthur during the Russian-Japanese War. In the museum courtyard there is a famous trolleybus that held the line during the August 1991 putsch. Here you can also see the armored car from which Lenin addressed the crowd, and many interesting witnesses to key events in Russian history.

A special place in the museum is given to personality and its role in history. The thoughts and real deeds of outstanding people are illuminated in their diaries, correspondence and protocols. Their belongings and gifts from foreign delegations visiting the country are also kept in the funds.

Traditionally, many spectators gather at the collection of Soviet posters. This genre accompanied the inhabitants of the USSR from the time of the Civil War right up to perestroika, performing a unique function of emotional advertising. Some of the posters on display in the museum are preserved in a single copy.

It is especially interesting to study exhibits that highlight events in military history. The museum displays real banners, badges, awards and service weapons. Under each item there is a sign with a description.

Practical information

Address: Moscow, st. Tverskaya, 21. Website.

Nearest metro station: Pushkinskaya.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 11:00-19:00, Thursday: 12:00-21:00. Closed: Monday.

Entrance: 250 RUB, students and pensioners: 100 RUB, persons under 15 years old: free. Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

The fall of 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, during which the Bolsheviks overthrew the last Russian autocrat, Nicholas II. The course of development of Russia and the whole world has changed. A fundamentally new system has emerged, denying capitalist foundations. There is a cultural institution in Moscow, the name and content of which takes the viewer back to those turbulent times. This is the Museum of the Revolution on Tverskaya-Yamskaya, 21. Since 1998 - the State Central (hereinafter, for brevity, the Museum of the Revolution).

Armored Car and Booger

In the October poem “Good,” the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote: “Which are temporary here! Get off! Your time is up! The uninitiated think: “The Museum of the October Revolution, located in an old mansion, tells exclusively about the storming of the Winter Palace, the Aurora salvo, Lenin’s armored car.” This is not entirely true. The wealth of diverse exhibitions telling about the economic and socio-political development of Russia at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, the priorities of modern Russia, and the continuity of generations is amazing. Visitors note the friendliness and professionalism of the guides. The guides do not tend to embellish the ideas of socialism. They just tell you how it all happened.

Weapons, clothes, the interior of a restaurant where grandparents used to go, a stuffed dog Kozyavka, who flew into space - thirty rooms of an unrealistically fascinating journey into the past. There is an opinion: the period of modern history of the country that has sunk into oblivion looks weighty, visible, but not rude. Children enjoy watching filmstrips, and parents enjoy nostalgia. The café-museum with products that are now said to be “natural, not like …”, and sweets made according to a forty-year-old recipe, are popular.

Notable building

Most visitors leave with the intention of recommending a visit to the Museum of the Revolution to friends. They had a good time in Moscow on Tverskaya: educational, no fuss or vulgarity. By the way, there is a hall where the fate of the building itself is told. It was built in the 18th century. Quite well preserved outside and inside. Seen different owners and visitors. The owner of the old estate was the poet and playwright Mikhail Kheraskov (earlier information has also been preserved), who sold it to the count, Major General Lev Razumovsky.

The main building (main house) was erected under Catherine the Great (1777-1780). Later, Adam Menelas, renowned among the architects of the time, added additional wings. The estate was built in a style characteristic of mature classicism. The invasion of Napoleon's army did not spare the beauty. The reconstruction was entrusted to the architect Domenico Gilardi. By the way, there is another museum. It opens its doors to everyone who is interested in learning about the Patriotic War of 1812. But let's get back to the topic. When Razumovsky died, the widow passed on the architectural heritage to her brother Nikolai Vyazemsky. Nikolai Grigorievich transferred the buildings to the Moscow English Club (1831). Until 1917, men of noble origin held social events there. At one time, randomly overgrown commercial buildings obscured the beautiful façade (you had to wander around looking for the entrance).

New palace life

The history of the Museum of the Revolution began shortly after the fiery events of October. It was decided to form funds of materials on the Russian liberation movement and to comprehensively study the accumulated information. The club operated in a residual form (in small areas) at the beginning of 1918. But the past has given way to the future. New decrees and decisions came in a stream. The very first order issued by the Commission for the Protection of Monuments of Art and Antiquities under the People's Commissariat for Education concerned the preservation of the architectural appearance of the estate, given over to a cultural institution. The retail outlets that once stood treacherously in front of the palace were demolished. The façade once again flashed with grandeur.

The halls of the English Club also “sounded” differently: the first exhibition in the institution named after the revolution opened in November 1922 and was called “Red Moscow”. The capital's everyday writer Vladimir Gilyarovsky said that the opening took place at six in the evening. The electricity was turned on. The halls, which had been without heating for several years, seemed to have become warmer. The visitors of the new model were completely different from the previous inhabitants: in military greatcoats, leather jackets, and coats, they busily walked around the recent “realm of idleness.”

We have no other way, there is a stop in the commune

The people proudly admired the red flags and formidable weapons of rebellion hung on the ancient marble walls. The old portrait room was decorated with paintings and photographs of the heroes of “ten days that shook the world” (as American journalist John Reed described the events). Among the guests were women (which could not have happened during the time of the English Club).

Everyone was happy that a new museum had appeared. There was a lot of revolution in exhibition cases and thematic corners: soldiers, sailors, the birth of a new world! Many recognized each other in combat photographs. The collected storage units became the basis of the exhibition of the Historical and Revolutionary Museum of Moscow. In 1924, the institution became the State Museum of the Revolution. The first leader, Sergei Mitskevich, is a well-known personality. Russian revolutionary, master of the journalistic genre, historian, professor at Moscow University. Organizer of the Moscow Workers' Union.

The further into socialism

The Museum of the Revolution in Moscow widely covered the topic of mass uprisings of peasants against the noble-landlord state (remarkably: their leaders Stepan Razin were born in the village of Zimoveyskaya-on-Don with a difference of a hundred years). It was possible to expand personal knowledge about the Decembrist movement, the People's Will, and understand the “wilds” of the events of the Russian revolutions and the civil war. These were the oldest exhibitions that the Museum of the Revolution had.

Moscow understood that the gradually accumulating experience of building socialism needed to be systematized and actively popularized. Since 1927, the thematic framework has been expanded. For dozens of years in a row, the developing world (and then attracted not only citizens of the Soviet Union, but also foreign guests.

Repin's gift

Individual statesmen, large delegations from capitalist, socialist, developing countries, writers, artists, sculptors, theater workers, “proletarians of all countries” considered it their duty to visit the Museum of the Revolution. Some guests did not come empty-handed. Thus, the exhibition was replenished with paintings “January 9”, “Red Funeral” and others imbued with a rebellious spirit. They were presented by the famous painter Ilya Repin.

Loving citizens of the USSR and friendly countries brought gifts to the leader of the state, Joseph Stalin. Many of them were distinguished by a touch of ideology: a telephone in the shape of a globe, a hammer handset, a watch decorated with a small golden T-34 tank. The exhibition of gifts operated from the 39th to the 55th years of the XX century. The unusual assortment is still popular among viewers today. In 1941, the museum was already listed as the undisputed leader among similar institutions. The funds totaled one million items. Branches have opened.

Shared our best practices

The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) made drastic adjustments to the scientific and educational activities conducted by the museum. There was no revolution; the lion's share of the funds simply went deep into the rear. The number of employees was reduced by almost three times. But the work did not stop. In July 1941, visitors were offered an exhibition telling the story of the struggle of the Soviet people against the Nazi invaders. Both the head center and its branches met and saw off tourists throughout the war years.

The enemy was rushing towards Moscow. Museum workers resisted him in a way that was accessible to them: by telling people about the heroism of Soviet soldiers. Visitor statistics say: the number of visitors in 1942 was 423.5 thousand people.

There was an open-air exhibition (guns, mortars and other equipment of the Red Army and enemy trophies). The normal rhythm of work returned in 1944. A partial repurposing took place: materials reflecting the features of the revolutionary liberation movement were dispersed. Some “went” to the GAU (Main Archive Directorate), others to the State Historical Museum, popularly known as the Museum of the Revolution on Red Square, and others were gratefully received by the Library of Foreign Literature. The sender himself focused on studying the ideological movement known as Russian Social Democratic. It was also necessary to understand the intricacies of development inherent in a society of justice, freedom and equality.

Closer to objectivity

It is known that some of the names worthy of memory were once in disgrace: exaggeration of the significance of Joseph Dzhugashvili’s (Stalin) contribution to the country’s achievements flourished. In 1959, after the famous 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the crowned personality was debunked. Excursion texts have become bolder and more objective. Those who visited the institution at the very beginning of the 1960s remember: a huge amount of exhibits were exhibited telling about the development of healthcare and education. Visitors learned how the environment is protected in the face of growing industry, what is happening in the “culture” industry, and how much the welfare of Soviet citizens has increased.

In 1968, another renaming took place: the sign “Central Museum of the USSR Revolution” appeared on the sign. The following year he was granted the right to conduct scientific research. This is the first time that the high status of a research institute has been assigned to an institution guarding the heritage of centuries. The solid level of activity was assessed by state-level awards. A museum studies laboratory was opened (1984), which began research into the history of museum affairs in the Soviet Union.

Is there life outside of ideology?

The socio-political processes of the country in the mid-1980s interrupted the “continuity of generations.” A new interpretation of the past, a deviation from the planned path to communism and other modern trends have pushed us to abandon ideologization and propaganda. Special storage facilities were opened for public viewing.

In 1998, the Museum of the Revolution radically restructured its exhibitions. GCMSIR has become a large scientific and methodological center, hosting delegates to thematic meetings and conducting scientific and practical classes. Museum workers from all over the country come here to expand their experience. All interested individuals and legal entities can count on receiving methodological recommendations and undergoing professional training.

Opening its doors in March 1917, the State Central Museum of Contemporary History was originally planned as the Museum of the Revolution. A meeting of figures from the world of art and science, convened by the director of the museum of the All-Russian Union of Cities, determined the main directions of work of the modern museum: the collection of historical sources and a detailed analysis of the history of our state.

The museum quickly gained popularity not only among Moscow residents, but also among foreign historians and scientists. In the 1930s, the museum was actively visited by delegations of foreign researchers, writers and leaders of the revolutionary movement. Famous artists from all over the world donated their works to the museum. For example, I.E. Repin, who donated 4 of his works to the State Central Museum.

Until 1927, the museum's main exhibitions were exclusively devoted to the description and history of the revolutionary movement. Since 1927, the State Central Museum has expanded the scope of its research activities. By 1941, the museum's main fund amounted to 1 million items. Unfortunately, the Great Patriotic War reduced the museum's collection by three times. Since 1950, the museum abandoned the concept of studying revolutionary movements and transferred most of the collected collection to the State Historical Museum.

The modern museum is a multifunctional museum complex, which includes exhibition halls and areas equipped with the latest technology. The building hosts various exhibitions and concerts, as well as a free lecture hall.

In 2016, an exhibition dedicated to the modern period of our history was opened. This is the first experience of a museum presentation of the newest period of Russian history from 1985 to the present. The main idea of ​​the project is to give a comprehensive, objective and reasoned idea of ​​the most important events in the modern history of Russia.

The exhibition invites the visitor to reflect on the place and role of our country in a dynamically changing world and the challenges facing it in the 21st century. A special feature of the project is the combination of authentic museum objects and modern multimedia technologies.

Multi-level interactive educational programs integrated into the exhibition space, compiled on the basis of documentary chronicles, interview fragments, visual graphs and diagrams, help to “revive” history. Thanks to this, the exhibition not only conveys the atmosphere of the time, but also allows us to feel that history is being created literally before our eyes.

Operating mode:

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday - from 11.00 to 19.00;
• Thursday - from 12.00 to 21.00;
• Monday is a day off.

Ticket prices:

• full - 250 rubles;
• preferential - 100 rubles.