STATE MUSEUM OF HISTORY

Tamara G. Igoumnova,
Deputy Director

State Museum of history Moscow, Russia www.shm.ru

At the very heart of Moscow, right at the Red Square, a grand building of the State Museum of History ascends, designed by architect V. Shervud. This is truly the national treasury of Russia. Four and half exhibits and twelve million of documentary sheets collected in this building represent the history and the culture of the Russian nation back from the ancient times until nowadays. The scholar community world-wide recognises the value of the Museum collection and the authority of its schooling.

The Museum was founded in 1872 at the public initiative. The best Moscow architects and artists participated in its construction and design of its unique interiors. The Museum received its first visitors in 1883.

The Museum collections were formed in various ways. For example, Moscow City Duma (Council) granted two unique book collections containing numerous exceptional manuscripts. Certain well known families of Russian aristocracy provided various priceless mementoes. The art patrons of the merchant class were especially fond of the Museum: the Bakhrushins, the Postikovs, the Grachyovs families. In the beginning of the XX century P. I. Schukin presented over half a million objects to the Museum — items of icon painting work, embroidery, Russian paintings and drawings, articles of precious metals and stones.

Today the Museum collection is systematised by the types of sources and materials into thirteen collection sections. The Archaeology section contains 1.5 various items, characterising the historic stages of ancient Eurasia, culture, art and traditions of its population.

The Numismatic collection contains 1.7 million mementoes — items of the Russian state monetary circulation, ancient, oriental and western coins, orders and medals of different countries from all over the world.

36,000 items are stored at the Ceramics and Glass section. The biggest portion is a collection of XVII-XIX centuries porcelain manufactured by the most famous Russian and European factories.

The Metals and Synthetic Materials section contains over 50,000 items of tin and copper, artistic bronze, works of beads and bugles.

The collection of Manuscripts and Early Printed Books is also very presentable. The world-famous mementoes of IX-XII centuries are its true adornments.

The section of Literally Texts collects the documents of the Russian history starting from the times of Romanoff’s dynasty accession.

The collection of Fabrics and Costumes has become famous world-wide.

The Wood collection is also very interesting. It stores samples of XVI-XX centuries furniture and interior decorations, clerical and household objects.

The Armoury sections contains 20,000 samples of Russian Western European and Oriental cold and fire arms, armours and bards. The interesting Cartography collection contains hand-made and printed maps, globes and atlases of XVI-VV centuries.

The collections of the Fine Arts section contains up to 370,000 exhibits: icons, paintings and drawings, magnificent samples of Russian and Western European sculptures.

The Museum Library and the Book section both contain a unique collection of over 200,000 books, including the most rare Russian and European editions.

Unique masterpieces of Russian, Western European and Oriental jewellery are presented in the Precious Metals section, containing over 30,000 items. This is the best collection of Russian jewellery art, representing its most well-known schools and famous master craftsmen. Based on these collections the major fundamental research of Russian XV-XX centuries gold and silver craft is carried out.

The Museum and its affiliations organise various exhibitions annually, it also exhibits its collections in different museums of Moscow, Russia and abroad. The visitors of such exhibition are able to see the unique mementoes of history and culture, and to learn more about them.

According to the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation the State Museum of History is included into the list of the most valuable cultural objects.

State Museum of History exhibits at "The treasures of the Romanovs And Russia":