The Azov Paleontological Museum-Reserve is a real pride for the south of Russia. Such a large paleontological collection is no longer in this corner of the country, and the museum is one of the largest in Russia in its area. All information about the Azov Museum-Reserve, including the mode of operation and reviews of tourists, later in this article.
basic information
The Azov historical-archaeological and paleontological museum-reserve - this is the full name of this unique institution. It is located in the city of Azov (Rostov Region). The area occupied by the museum exceeds 78,000 m2, and in 22 halls there are more than 350,000 exhibits of various directions and age categories. Among them, the most valuable, of course, are the skeletons of prehistoric animals. In addition, there are various items of weapons, furniture, dishes, books, clothes and much more.
The staff of the Azov Museum consists of 168 people, 29 of them are holders of various degrees. The post of director is occupied by Evgeny Evgenievich Mamichev - a museologist, lawyer and Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Rostov Region.
History of creation
The Azov Historical and Paleontological Museum survived three births. Its first discovery took place on May 17, 1917. Six months before, the Azov Society of Cultural Activists "People's Society" announced the collection of charitable donations that could become exhibits of the museum of local lore. Over the past six months, a large number of collections have been collected - ancient coins, paintings, prints and other art objects, stamps, minerals, weapons and cannonballs. But, alas, for a long time this collection was not destined to be exhibited, since during the Civil War the museum was closed and exhibits were partially looted. Former museum workers took care of what was left, and in 1937 a second discovery was announced - already with the "blessing" of the Communist Party. But this time, the Azov Museum opened on the eve of big changes - as if history itself wanted to become part of the exposition. During the occupation of Azov by fascist invaders, the museum was again destroyed and completely looted. Finally, by the forces of residents and cultural figures of Azov and Rostov-on-Don, the museum was again decided to open in May 1960. And in 1976, the entire collection was moved to the building of the former city council, where it is still located. Below you can see a photo of the Azov Museum before the modern restoration - that is how it looked at the time of opening in 1976.
The building in which the museum is located
The three-story building in an eclectic style was built in 1892 for meetings of city governors. The architect was Fedor Gausenbaum. Before the revolution, the government occupied the entire second floor of the building, on the first there were various shops and the city bank of the merchant Dabakhov. The third floor was intended for dinner parties and balls. After the revolution, the building was occupied by a council of workers' and people's deputies; during the war and occupation, fascist commandants settled in it. After the war, the district executive committee occupied two floors of the former city council, and on the first floor, as before, shops and a printing house opened. Finally, in 1966, it was decided to transfer the building to the city museum. For ten years, an internal restoration was carried out to accommodate the exhibition, and, as mentioned above, in 1976 the museum opened its doors to visitors.
Surprisingly, during all this time the building has not undergone any external changes (except for decoration). It did not suffer during the Civil War or during the Great Patriotic War, and in the photo above you can see it in an absolutely original form. At present, only the color has changed - it was decided to paint the museum with bright colors of the Neo-Russian style so that the building would immediately catch the eye.
Skeletons and remains of ancient animals
The most interesting and unique exhibits of the Azov Paleontological Museum are located in the expositions, which are called "Traces of the Earth's Memory" and "Neanderthal Safari." The center of the first exposition is a unique and one-of-a-kind skeleton of dinoteria, an extinct trunk animal that is not related to modern elephants. The main exhibit of the second exposition is the skeleton of the Caucasian elasmotherium, an extinct animal close to rhinos. Also in the paleontological collection of the Azov Museum are exhibited skeletons of two steppe mammoths, a steppe beaver, an ancient antelope with spiral horns, an Azov giraffe, an elephant Gromov and a Levents horse. Most of these animals were not known to science before they were found in the Rostov Region, which makes the museum significant not only for Russian archeology and paleontology, but also for the world-wide. In addition to the above exhibits, the museum's collection contains more than 120 fossils formed from individual bones, parts of the skeleton (group of bones), claws and teeth. Also in the halls with paleontological expositions there are many multimedia exhibits that allow you to see the alleged three-dimensional image of ancient animals, the remains of which are presented in the museum.
Ancient household items
Various archaeological finds of ancient times are presented in the following expositions:
- "Treasures of the nomads of Eurasia."
- "The Eneolithic-Bronze Age."
- "The Age of the Early Iron."
- "Eastern Azov region from the 3rd to the 13th century".
- "Azaka Trade".
The exposition “Treasures of the Eurasian Nomads” consists of more than 18,000 pieces of gold, silver, glass, bronze and clay archaeological finds, most of which were found in the burials of nomads. Among them there are a lot of jewelry: male and female, everyday (those that were put in the grave for the afterlife) and funerary (a special category of jewelry-charms for the dead). There are objects of life of warriors: weapons, daggers decorated with jewelry, elements of horse harness and uniforms. There are everyday objects of nomads: precious mirrors, dishes, hairpins, combs and much more.
The main part of the exposition dedicated to the Bronze Age is made up of items extracted from numerous Don mounds. These are entire funerary sets - weapons, jewelry, utensils, as well as amulets, charms, vessels for smoking, incense and ceremonial liquids.
In the windows of the exhibition dedicated to the early iron era, objects also found in burials and barrows are displayed, not only precious and not bronze, but iron and ceramic. There are everyday objects of the ancient inhabitants of the Pridonia and Priazovye - mirrors, beads and earrings, dishes, bells, spinning wheels, clothing items.
The next exhibition covers the whole millennium of the life of the Azov peoples since the beginning of the reign of the Golden Horde. It is divided into five thematic stages, each of which sequentially supplements the previous ones. This collection contains more than 1000 different exhibits, many of which are unique and even one of a kind. Such items include, for example, the glass goblet of St. Jadwiga - its authenticity was established by Russian and British scientists. The rarest vessel is over 800 years old, and it is the second found in Russia - the first is kept in the Hermitage. It was in such cups, according to medieval legends, that water turned into wine - they were used for coronations and divine services.
And, finally, the exhibition "Trade of Azak" - it is dedicated to the ancient city of Azak and the period of its existence from the 13th to the 15th centuries. The entire collection presented here is divided into five blocks - urban trade, the life of merchants, trade relations, brought curiosities and foreign finds of the 15th century. As in previous exhibitions, many items of this collection of the Azov Museum of Local Lore are unique and very rare.
Historical and household expositions
The main items of household displays at the Azov Museum are divided into three rooms:
- "Azov and Priazovye in the XV-XVII centuries."
- "Azov fortress in the period from Peter the Great to Barclay de Tolly."
- "Azov and the Sea of Azov during the Great Patriotic War."
The basis of these collections are genuine and recreated costumes, household items, weapons, icons. For example, in the first of the three named expositions, full uniforms of soldiers, costumes of Cossack families and the arrangement of their homes are presented. In the second - the story of the conquest of the "gem", as Catherine the Second called Azov. Here, in addition to genuine objects, wax figures of emperors, empresses and other politicians are presented, in costumes and interior settings. And there is also an interactive table on which you can track military campaigns on historical maps.
It is not difficult to guess what the third exposition is: it is a complete collection of all documents, photographs and weapons items found, as well as award badges, military uniforms and other objects telling the history of the Second World War in the territory of Azov and Azov.
Natural exposure
This exposition of the Azov Museum-Reserve is called "Nature of the Lower Don" and is a complex that combines a visual narrative about the forest and near-water nature of the region. More than 600 units of the scientific and natural collection are presented here, including plant samples, stuffed animals. The exposition also includes a large number of interactive panels, allowing, for example, to see a real image of natural areas or to hear the voice of various animals and birds.
Address
The exact address of the Azov Archaeological Museum-Reserve: the city of Azov, Moskovskaya street, 38/40. If you go by public transport, you should leave at the stop "Center". In order not to get lost, it is best to navigate on the map below. However, the probability of not noticing the magnificent and vibrant building of the Azov Museum is extremely small.
Working hours
The museum is ready to receive its visitors from 10:00 to 18:00 on any day of the week, except Mondays. On this day you can organize a group tour, but you need to sign up for it in advance (at least one week in advance).
Ticket price
The price of tickets to the Azov Museum of the Russian Federation varies depending on the day of visit. So, from Tuesday to Friday, admission for adults costs 120 rubles, for children 7-18 years old - 60 rubles, and for children under 7 years old - 30 rubles. At the weekend, these prices change by 200, 100 and 50 rubles, respectively. The weekend includes not only Saturday and Sunday, but also national holidays. Excursion service will cost visitors 700 rubles.
Visitors reviews
Judging by the reviews, a lot of people who have already visited this museum consider it not only the main attraction of the city of Azov, but also one of the main museums in Russia that are required to visit. Tourists note not only the magnificence and uniqueness of the exposition (that it is worthy of attention, and so it is clear to everyone), but also the quality of service, the competence of lecturers and guides, as well as the fact that the museum keeps up to date. The combination of the oldest exhibits with the most modern multimedia supporting materials leaves no one indifferent.