State Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic, St. Petersburg

The State Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic is located in the northern capital of Russia - the glorious city of St. Petersburg. This is not just an exhibition of the nature of the two extreme points of the planet, but a whole story telling about the research of these latitudes, about people who have discovered a lot of new things for the world, about their hard way and amazing adventures. The Arctic and Antarctic Museum is the northern lights, white bears, walruses and penguins, this is the helm of the icebreaker and many other interesting things.

History of the museum

At the very beginning of 1937 an unusually interesting cultural and educational place was opened for Soviet citizens - the Museum of the Arctic and the Antarctic. You could come here at leisure and dive headlong into the world of unusual polar snows and giant icebergs. Visitors whole crowds willingly relished the inspection of exhibits and thematic expositions.

The idea of creating such an exhibition arose in 1920, when the polar explorers actively began to explore the distant northern expanses. Researchers and scientists asked the government to establish a special museum, operating on an ongoing basis. The authorities took ten years to decide. Only in 1930, within the framework of the creation of the All-Union Arctic Institute, the Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic began to operate.

It was located in the building of St. Nicholas Church, built by architect Melnikov in the beginning of the XIX century. The building was reconstructed more than once and made as convenient as possible for exhibitions. The experienced polar explorers helped to equip the museum, their experience and knowledge made it possible to make this place truly the property of the country and the pride of its citizens.

Location

Today the museum has gained popularity not only among its compatriots, but also all over the world. Many tourists come here, who wander with pleasure galleries and halls, photographing unusual exhibits. Finding it is easy for visitors, because for many years the address remained unchanged. The Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic, like almost a hundred years ago, is located at the intersection of Kuznechny Lane and Marata Street. Very close to it there are Nevsky Prospekt, the memorial apartment of Fyodor Dostoevsky and the Moscow railway station. This place is suitable for you, if you, when you come to the Northern capital of Russia, want to look at something unorganized and breathe in full the real "St. Petersburg spirit".

Since the museum is located in the same old building of the St. Nicholas Church, everything here is permeated with the spirit of religion: architecture, decoration, patterns. And only a beautiful sign at the entrance says that this is not a temple, but a secular public place. Many visitors like broad stairs that descend to the area from the upper stylobate. When the weather permits, tourists and local romantics sit down on them, who meet the sunset here .

Ticket price and time schedule

To get into the snowy world of arctic latitudes, you need to shell out a little at the entrance. The Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic, the price of entry into which is fairly democratic, offers various promotions for its visitors. Adults this pleasure will cost 230 rubles. But for children and pensioners a good discount is provided, they will pay three times less - only 70 rubles. For infants-preschoolers, families with many children and disabled people, admission is free. In addition, every third Thursday of the month is free, without entrance fees, the museum opens doors for students and schoolchildren.

To have time to buy a ticket, you need to come at most at 17.30. Later the cash desk will be closed. The museum itself runs from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. On Sunday it closes an hour earlier, so the schedule of the cash desk is shifted - it is open until 16.30. Monday is a day off.

The museum looks very beautiful before the New Year holidays. Every year it is highlighted with thematic drawings: for example, large snowflakes and figures of polar bears. But the most amazing action was in 2005, it was dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the museum. Then the building was decorated with huge penguins made of papier-mâché.

"The Northern Way"

This is one of the three thematic expositions presented here, which tells visitors a cognitive history of research on the Earth's extreme point. Photographs and models are devoted not only to Russian, but also to foreign expeditions, which were also many. "The Northern Way" narrates about the scientific research of polar explorers, unusual stories of Arctic navigation. Here you can see the models of their stations and tents, real clothes, scientific instruments and household items.

The highlight of this part of the exhibition has long been the helm and the magnetic compass of Ermak, the world's first Arctic ice drift. The ship was created in 1988 by the design of Vice-Admiral Makarov. A special place is given to the Chelyuskin operation, when the pilots were removed from the drifting ice floes in the Chukchi Sea. These pilots became the first heroes of the USSR. Also interesting are the exhibits revealing the history of the trans-Arctic flight "Moscow-North Pole-Seattle", which became the first of its kind. This section of the exhibition is crowned by a model of aurora borealis, demonstrating the nature and beauty of this natural phenomenon.

"Arctic"

Another exhibition, which is devoted to the nature of this piece of land, with its amazing features, unusual plant and animal life. Even if you are well acquainted with this topic, you will not remain indifferent from the presented mock-ups. St. Petersburg Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic (St. Petersburg) gathered under its roof the rarest exhibits. Among them the central place is allocated to the globe segment, on which there is a relief hypsometric map of the Northern Hemisphere. It was created on the basis of the maps of Academician Shokalsky, compiled by him back in 1936.

In addition, there are depicted animals that have long become symbols of the Arctic: formidable polar bears, lazy walruses, fat seals, noble reindeer and dexterous lemmings. "Bird Bazaar" is one of the segments, filled with feathered representatives of this part of the Earth: polar owls, pink gulls, eiders and guillemots. Also there are dioramas about the tundra, showing its beauty in the winter and summer periods, as well as portraying the strait of Matochkin Shar and the Glacier of Shokalsky.

"Antarctica"

Under this name opens the doors for visitors the last, third exposure. It is also dedicated to the flora and fauna of the eponymous continent. The kings of nature here are all favorite funny and clumsy penguins. Inhabit in Antarctica are also whales, sperm whales, seals and elephants, seals. The bird world is represented by petrels, snow and antarctic, as well as white plover and Cape pigeon.

The other part of this exhibition is devoted to different scientific studies. By the way, the continent was discovered by Russian seafarers Lazarev and Bellingshausen in 1820. They were also pioneers who set foot on the island of Peter the Great and the land of Alexander the First. It is this large-scale and significant journey that is devoted to the section of the exposition in which you can see the first edition of the Atlas about the adventures of Captain Bellingshausen in the Arctic Ocean. This collection of maps and charts was published in 1831 in a very small edition. The Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic also demonstrates to tourists photographs of the time when these amazing trips took place. In the pictures - happy polar explorers, who are now proud of the whole world.

Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic: guest reviews

People who have visited there, very positively and warmly describe what they saw. Many say that looking at the exhibits is certainly interesting, but it is better to join a special excursion. Yes, it will cost more, but you will discover new and little-known facts about these scraps of land. An experienced guide will tell instructive stories, and these places will no longer be associated only with ice and permafrost.

Especially exciting is the pastime for schoolchildren. They will deepen their knowledge of geography, biology, history. After all, the period of mass discoveries of these lands, their conquest is presented here in numerous exhibits and mock-ups. The plant and animal worlds, famous sailor-pioneer personalities, the instruments with which they worked, and the structures in which they lived, reveal the whole world - uncharted, distant and romantic-enticing. Spend a whole day off to visit the Arctic and Antarctic Museum in St. Petersburg, and you will never regret it.