Museum of Contemporary History of Russia. A museum preserving the memory of generations
The ancient mansion of the 18th century, which today houses the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia, was built according to the design of the famous architect Adam Adamovich Menelas. Previously, the building housed a fashionable English club. The community ceased to exist by 1917, and an exhibition called “Red Moscow” opened in the mansion.
Impact of World War II
The main profile of the museum was determined at a meeting of figures from the world of science and art. By 1941, history elements numbered in the million. In the modern history of Russia, the museum, among similar institutions, occupied an honorable place in the list of leading places.
However, during the war, most of the exhibits were destroyed, and in 1950 the collected collection of the pre-revolutionary movement was transferred to the State Historical Museum. The team has shrunk several times. In 1941, an exhibition dedicated to the Great Patriotic War was opened. And a year later, more than 420 thousand visitors passed through the doors of the museum. In the courtyard there were captured weapons, which were inspected every day by more than 1,500 people:
- mortars;
- guns;
- machine guns;
- airplane;
- tank.
The exhibition began to be restored in 1944, although the profile of the institution has changed.
Modern Museum
By 1998, the unique collection of exhibits that told about the history of modern Russia determined a new name: the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia. This was an important milestone in history.
Along with the developed new concept, a modern exhibition was created that objectively and deeply analyzed the country's past. Bright artistic solutions, modern technical equipment, and computer technologies were used.
The Museum of Modern Russian History is a multifunctional historical complex with exhibition areas and halls equipped with the most modern technical equipment.
The materials presented here have special historical value, as they recreate the true picture of the life of Soviet people, the names and images of participants in important events. Today there are about half a million cultural and historical monuments.
Thematic events
Various concert events, excursions and thematic exhibitions are held here, including lectures for students and classes for children, and there is also a free lecture hall. These events allow you to become more familiar with the events that took place in Russia starting from the 19th century: revolutionary and political upheavals, and simply everyday life at work.
Using unique, constantly updated exhibitions, you can safely study the historical past of Russia. Today, the museum of modern Russian history is an important large center for the study of Russian civilization.
The museum contains documenting sources that tell the story:
- political;
- social;
- spiritual development;
- economic.
The Museum of Contemporary History of Russia immediately after its opening began to attract the attention of public figures, foreign and domestic.
A great idea, one of the most beautiful mansions of that time, amazing interiors and a fascinating history - all this aroused and continues to arouse incredible interest. Famous world artists donated their works to the museum.
Opening hours of GCMSIR and ticket prices
Anyone can visit the museum and see a huge collection of cultural treasures.
Schedule
The museum is open six days a week, closed on Monday, and open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00. Every last Friday of the month, a sanitary day is held here; accordingly, the institution is closed.
Ticket prices
Ticket price for an adult is 250 rubles. The cost of a discounted and children's ticket is 100 rubles.
The complex consists of a main building, 4 exhibition and memorial departments, an exhibition department and two branches. Over the course of a year, the entire complex of the State Central Medical Research Center receives more than 500,000 visitors.
Museum collection
In the 30s of the 19th century there was a period of formation of a new society, one of the most difficult in the history of Russia. There were also expositions on the topic of achievements in space exploration, aviation technology and the nuclear industry - all of this is the brightest embodiment of scientific and technological progress.
The State Museum of Contemporary History of Russia houses an exhibition dedicated to the Civil War in Russia of 1918-1922, which reflected the split in Russian society, when “whites” and “reds” appeared. A lot of information has been collected about the reign of L.I. Brezhnev.
Among the documentation and material monuments there is a unique complex that reconstructs the events of 1939 at Khalkin Gol, the Mongolian and Soviet soldiers who took part in the battle against the invaders from Japan. Photos, documents and awards reflecting the life and military activities of the commanders:
- Khorlogiina Choibalsan.
- Marshal
- Stern Grigory Mikhailovich.
- Smushkevich Yakov Vladimirovich.
Exhibits from the early 20th century
- machine gun cart;
- model of a nuclear icebreaker;
- Japanese warrior costume;
- uniform of hockey player Vladislav Tretyakov;
- guitar and personal belongings of Vladimir Vysotsky and much more.
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, the Social Democratic Party, the Russian-Turkish war, increasing tension with Japan, the 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.
