 The State Museum of Russian Political History originates in the first State Museum of Revolution founded in October, 9, 1919, Petrograd. There were a lot of outstanding statesmen, scientists, artists, and writers who participated in the museum creation: M. Gorkiy, A. Lunatcharsky, the Academic S. Oldenburg, (before the Revolution he had been one of the leaders of Constitutional Democrats' party) the revolutioners V. Figner, M. Novorussliy, A. Morozov. According to the creators' projects it was considered to be the first Russian museum that would reflect completely how the revolutionary activities of the world were developed and improved. During the first 10 years the main goal was to form the collections that would demonstrate the history of class struggle in Russia and in West (from Pugatchev's rising to the beginning of the creation of socialism, from the Great French Revolution to the creation of the COmmunist International). In January, 11, 1920 the museum greeted its first visitors.
Since 1955 the museum is located in two buildings that were built at the beginning of the 20th century, on Petrogradskaya side. The former was built in 1904-1906 by the architect Gogen's plan and it was owned by the brilliant ballet dancer Matilda Kshesinskaya. The latter was built in 1905 by the architect Meltzer for baron Brandt, the famous timber merchant.
In 1917 Kshesinskaya's comfortable house was turned into the bolsheviks' staff. Right there since March to June 1917 there were the Central and Petrograd Committees of Russian Social Democratic Party of Workers (RSDRP), the bolsheviks' military organization and the soldier club "Pravda" ("The Truth").
The balcony of the building served as a tribune for Lenin's speech. In the present time it's re-created Lenin's study in the room of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the RSDRP.
The museum collection (more than 400 thousands of exhibits) and its fortune describe that epoche completely.
The Main Structural Departments of the Museum
1. "The history of the Political Police of Russia -- 2, Gorokhovaya street"
Address: 6, Admiralteysky prospect.
The shedule: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., days off -- Saturday, Sunday.
Please, call for detailed information: 312 27 42
In this hose on Gorokhovaya str., 2 there is an exhibition that is dedicated to the history of Russian political police. Earlier there was the Administration of Saint-Petersburg city government. Since 1875 there were the Security Department, the Province Gendarme Administration (1875-1898), the Capital Police Administration (1875- Feb. 1917) and then -- Russian Emergency Commission for the struggle against counter-revolution, sabotage  and speculation, afterwards -- Petrograd Emergency Commission and the United State Political Directorate (OGPU) (till 1932).
It was recreated the office of a chief of the security department The exhibition presents the portraits of leaders of the political investigation in Russia since 1826 to 1917, the real documents of the "IIId department", the reports of secret agents, the photos of informants, the documents of "red terror" period, the letters of political prisoners, etc. The exhibition is based on the collection of the State Museum of the Political History of Russia and it was completes with some documents of State Security Committee and Federal Security Services of St.-Petersburg and Moscow.
There are the interesting historical lectures for kids, for kids and their parents, for adults accordinig to the following subjects:
"Let's see the past"
"The history of the Old Camera"
"Russian amusing story and satirical article of 20 c."
e-mail:polithist@soros.spb.ru
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