It is unlikely that anyone would count how many museums exist in the world. The State Museum of Religion in St. Petersburg is the only one in Russia and one of the few in the world whose expositions represent the history of the formation of religion. The collections of exhibits collected in St. Petersburg include more than two hundred thousand copies: these are cultural and historical monuments of different peoples and eras. The most ancient of them are archaeological finds dating back to the VI millennium BC. e.
How was the State Museum of the History of Religion created in St. Petersburg?
In the Winter Palace (White Hall) in the spring of 1930, an atheistic exhibition was presented to the public. It was based on exhibits from many museums in the city - the Kunstkamera, the Russian Museum, the Library of the Academy of Sciences, and the Hermitage. The initiator of the creation of this exhibition was Vladimir Germanovich Bogoraz - a well-known ethnographer, historian, linguist.
The demonstration and study of the material attributes of religion, as well as objects of worship, was considered a good way that could save Soviet citizens from the "church troubles." The exhibition successfully fit into the ideology of the time when the fight against religion was waged by all available methods. For this reason, the exposition was very popular.
Transformation Exhibition
The exhibition was quickly replenished with new exhibits, and soon there was a need for its transformation into a Museum of religion. SPb replenished with an interesting new institution in 1930. The city authorities decided to give the building of the Kazan Cathedral, which at that time was inactive, to the needs of the new museum. Moreover, at the time of the “relocation” the magnificent temple was in a deplorable state. Museum employees were forced to put it in order on their own.
Only in 1932, preparatory work was completed. In mid-November, the museum received its first visitors. It should be noted that this event took place thanks to the talented and wise leadership of V. G. Bogoraz, the huge enthusiasm of the employees. The Museum of Religion in St. Petersburg has successfully developed. Its employees went on expeditions to various remote corners of Russia and abroad, the collections were replenished with new exhibits, new exhibitions were regularly opened, and existing ones were finalized.
In parallel, serious scientific and publishing activities were carried out . In 1935, a research association appeared in the Museum of Religion, which was engaged in the study of already collected collections. By the beginning of 1941, all the numerous expositions were professionally designed and contained a lot of valuable information about the history and development of the beliefs of different peoples.
Imperceptibly anti-religious exhibition was transformed into a major scientific institution engaged in educational activities.
Museum during the war
The Great Patriotic War became a terrible, difficult test for our country and its people. We must not forget about the trials that fell to the lot of Leningrad and its inhabitants, who not only lived in inhuman conditions, they worked and kept the priceless treasures of their hometown.
Most of the employees of the Museum of Religion in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) went to the front, and only a few people kept the collections. Despite the fact that almost all the expositions were mothballed, the employees managed to organize several exhibitions in besieged Leningrad.
After 1945, the most painstaking labor began to restore the collections of the Museum of Religion in St. Petersburg. The building was badly damaged, cold and damp settled in its premises, which could significantly harm the collections. Employees had to combine their main scientific activities with the restoration of the building and exhibits.
Unfortunately, after the war, the permanent leader of the museum, V. G. Bogoraz, did not become, and the city leadership decided to merge the Museums of Religion in Moscow and Leningrad with the organization of expositions in the capital. But this plan was not destined to come true - the collections of the Moscow Museum were moved to the Kazan Cathedral, which was renovated in 1948.
Return to old slogans
In the sixties of the last century, the ideology of the Soviet Union again intensified atheistic propaganda. In 1954 the museum was renamed - it became known as the Museum of Religion and Atheism. Accordingly, the direction of his work changed - it was assumed that the anti-science of religion should now be the subject of research, and it was recommended that the exposition be changed so that atheism looked like the only true worldview of Soviet people.
New building
A new stage in the development of the State. The Museum of History and Religion in St. Petersburg began in the nineties of the last century, when restoration of historical objects that were destroyed or closed in Soviet times began throughout the country. This wave could not but affect the Kazan Cathedral, so the museum began to urgently pick up another room.
Not far from St. Isaac's Square, a room was chosen for the Museum of Religion in St. Petersburg. The address of the new building is ul. Post Office, 15/4. The building required serious restoration, and I must say that it was carried out taking into account the requirements of the museum. During construction and finishing work, they tried to adapt it to the needs of the museum to the maximum. He again changed the name - State Museum of the History of Religion in St. Petersburg. He has been working in a new place since 2001.
His collections have moved from the huge and high halls of the Kazan Cathedral to more compact but light rooms. Museum workers had to re-create the exhibition. Nowadays, when organizational difficulties have remained in the past, and we have forgotten all ideological dogmas, the Museum of Religion invites Petersburgers and visitors to get acquainted with priceless exhibits that tell about the mysterious aspect of human life - about faith.
Expositions
We have already said that today in the museum funds there are about two hundred thousand exhibits that illustrate the history of world religions, movements and beliefs of various nations. These are graphics and painting, clothing for the conduct of rituals and cult objects, manuscripts and books, precious metal products and musical instruments, stamp and coin collections, video, photo, audio materials.
All exhibits are divided into fifteen funds, each of which sanctifies a separate topic. All objects are displayed in expositions arranged in a certain order - visitors move from archaic to medieval, and then move on to later religious movements. The sound and decoration of the halls enhances the viewing experience.
The museum hosts dozens of excursions that are devoted to the main world religions. Tours are visited by people of different ages - from primary school students to senior citizens, often there are foreign tourists. For each category, you can choose an interesting program - about the underworld of Ancient Egypt and religious symbols, about monasteries and shamans of Siberia, about objects of exotic cults and about famous hermits. Young visitors are offered special programs.
In addition to excursions, the Museum holds scientific conferences and lectures, and a library. Most visitors are pleased that the guides provide information vividly and readily, but it is scientific in nature. There is no preference for any religion, as there is no agitation of atheism, and even in the museum today there is no hall dedicated to it.
The archives also conceal the collection of instruments of torture of the Inquisition, which in the old days was exhibited in the cellars of the Kazan Cathedral.
Museum Features
Moving from room to room, guests can compare how people of different faiths changed their attitude towards God, but when the tour ends, the question of whether God exists or not, remains open. After the museum moved to a new building, expositions with some ceremonies that could scare visitors (for example, instruments of torture) were removed.
Along with atheism, some sects do not have their own halls. For example, Baptism, which is very popular in the United States, did not get its place in the museum.
How to get there
The museum is located almost at St. Isaac's Cathedral. You can get here by walking from the Admiralteyskaya metro station. The journey takes no more than twenty minutes.
Ticket price
We inform everyone who wants to visit the Museum of Religion in St. Petersburg: the price of tickets for adult guests is 400 rubles. For pensioners (upon presentation of a certificate) - 85 rubles. For students (a student ID is required) - 100 rubles. For schoolchildren - 100 rubles. For foreigners - 300 rubles. Entrance to the museum is free on the first Monday of each month.