National Museum of the Republic of Karelia

Karelian state museum of regional history was founded in 1871 when G.G.Grigoriev was the governor of the Olonets province. It is one of the oldest Russian museums. Since 1993 it has been located in the buildings of historical architectural group on the former Petrovskaya (Round) square (now - Lenin square). This architectural group is a very intersting place of federal importance, representing architectural style of XVIII century, created by Bazhenov school's architects.

In the early XX century the museum had 7 thousand items, now their amount is approximately 120 thousand. Museum possesses rich collections of porcelain from Russia and Western Europe (XVIII - XX centuries), art mending of Alexander factory, copperware of Staroobryadcheski (Old believers) communities, items made of Karelian birch, folk clothes, headgears of XIX-XX centuries, manuscripts and printed books of Cyrillic scripts of XVI-XIX centuries, Olonets money of 1918 and other unique collections.

In last years the museum has started to launche more exhibitions. As a result of immense research, collection and restoration work new original expositions were created. They explore historical and cultural inheritance of Karelia that have not been noticed before: "Pomor ship", "Copper antiquity", "Petrozavodsk municipal Duma", "Alexander factory - for its town and country" and so forth. In Germany and Finland exhibitions "Henrich Fogeler and Karelia", "Everyday life and arts of Padany Karelians", "World of a Veps woman", "Traditional northern clothes" worked. The museum hosted exhibitions from Germany and Holland.

The museum participates in an international archeological project, organizes its own excavations. Annualy "News of  KSMRH" or collection of works "Regional history and the museum" are published. The museum is a scientific and educational center for different directions of work of regional museums. It organizes different educational activities for chidren of the age 5-10 years old. It organizes museum holidays ("Kalevala", Veps folklore holiday, etc). It organizes practical museum and culture studies for university, professional school, lyceum, gymnasium and high school students.

The Branches:

• Sheltozero Veps Ethnographic Museum,
• Museum of the first Russian health resort "Martial Waters".

Address: 1 Lenin Square, Petrozavodsk
Tel./Fax: (814-2) 78-02-40, 76-94-79 
E-mail: kgkm@karelia.ru
Web: http://www.karelia.ru/~kgkm