The museum was organized by a group of enthusiasts in 1961. In 1963 and 1965 a group of archeologists found a large gathering of rock carvings and petroglyphs near Belomorsk. During these years a protecting pavilion was built above the group of petroglyphs "Besovy Sledki", which was discovered by A.Linevskiy in 1926. When the construction of the pavilion was over in 1968 a small exposition devoted to archeological monuments of Karelia was opened there. Since this time the museum got the name "Belomorian petroglyphs".
The collections of the museum are based on ethnographic (tools, household stuff, clothes and so on) and archeological materials. The most interesting are the following collections:
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stone implements of late Stone Age era;
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fire-arms of XVII - XX centuries.;
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Pomorian women’s clothing;
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Pomorian embroidery;
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copper-plate engraving;
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navigational outfit of XVIII - XX centuries;
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production of metallurgical works of XVI - XVII centuries.;
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old book-printing;
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copper crockery of XIX - XX centuries.;
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pictures of local citizens of XIX - early XX centuries.
Annually since 1996 the exhibition "Sea culture of the Pomorians in XIX - early XX centuries" opens for the tourist season. Exposition is devoted to the traditional trades and their development. The exposition consists of pictures, documents, vessel models and trade tools from the Pomorian villages of XIX - early XX centuries. There is a reconstruction of a seasonal Pomorian dwelling – "tony".
One of the most interesting exhibits of the museum “The plan of Shizhenskaja village” (1852) is presented at the exhibition. The plan includes the names of all house-owners.
The following issues shown on the exhibition are also unique:
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compass (XVII century); for centuries these compasses were the main and probably the only navigational outfit for the Pomorian sailors. They used the compasses while sailing the seas of the Arctic Ocean;
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a course of sailing directions book, which was the main manual in Sumiosadskaja nautical school (early XIX century);
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lithography album "Views of Solovetskiy monastery”, 1884.
The exposition is in the navatory workshop, which is situated close to the pier of Belomorian sea port, that’s why it is very convenient for transite tourists to visit it.
Aadministration address: Oktyabr'skaya str., 5-A
Phone: (8-237) 2-56-05
