Moscow's State Historical Museum, which was founded on February 21st, 1872, is thought to be the biggest in Russia. The museum’s collections, which reflect the history and culture of Russia from ancient times up to today, are unique by masterpieces and their quantity.
According to Sigurd Schmidt, a member of the Academic Council of State Historical Museum, the creation of the Historical Museum was no accident for Russia or academic science. In the second half of the 19th century the understanding of the value of the events of the past changed. It was clear that the history of the population, of everyday life. The Kremlin Armory Museum was already there, but it was full of treasures. There was an idea to create a museum of the history of Russia. It was initiated by the biggest historians - Vladimir Solovyev, Ivan Zabelin, Vasily Kluchevsky, the great philologist Fyodor Buslaev, Count Uvarov. The Historical Museum was formed as a depository and as an academic center in the year of the anniversary of Peter the Great. He founded St. Petersburg, but his anniversary was celebrated in Moscow. There were great exhibitions, so two museums were formed – Polytechnical and Historical.
The Historical Museum became the treasury of the great artifacts of the country's spiritual and material culture, and also great manuscripts. The methods of studying these manuscripts were also elaborated there. It was an academic school. Basically, the Historical Museum and Moscow University, whose graduates were working there, were creating Russian historical science, especially the parts like ethnology, archeology, auxiliary historical disciplines. After the revolution the biggest scholars, together with the academic Bogoslovsky, were trying to create an exposition about the everyday life of Russia. Now the role of the museum is even bigger, as due to TV the visual perception is the most important.
In 2012 the relocation of the museum’s huge collection was completed. According to Alexei Levykin, Director of State Historical Museum, for many years the museum created completely new funds and stocks and they are first of all created in the central part of our museum, in the museum quarter where almost all of our basic collections were moved from Krutitsy or the Novodevichii Monastery. Last year Novodevichii Monastery was handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church's and our stock and restoration departments were relocated to the so-called Ismailovsky Island. Now the work on preparing a new concept of development of Ismailovsky Island is undergoing, there practically all of our restoration resources will be located. As a result a big restoration center will be created that is even treated by the Ministry of culture as an important methodological center for the whole of Russia. The anniversary of the war against Napoleon should be marked by the museum with the creation of a completely new museum of the war of 1812 within the museum. Now between the former building of Lenin’s museum and the buildings of the coin yard, there is a basis for the expositional pavilion, where on two levels with an area of 1200 sq meters a new exposition in early September will be opened. In addition, there is another very serious task - the re-exposition of the museum. It is a very difficult thing, as you should not lose what you have and the possible improvements.
Andrey Yanosky, Deputy Director for academic work, State Historical Museum noted that the museum tries to prepare publications, leaflets and guidebooks for every, even very small exhibitions, they are not very expensive, and many people can buy them. The museum organizes numerous academic conferences, connected also to the anniversary of 1812 or the creation of the Russian state, the tradition of Zabelin’s readings, the golden age of Russian porcelain, and the 180the of the architect of the building of our museum, Vladimir Shervud. All these conferences are supported by some publications, because the publications are in demand.
