The Timiryazev Biological Museum was founded by the famous physiologist and biologist B. Zavadovsky, who was subsequently awarded the title of academician. Let's take a virtual tour and see what this institution has to offer its guests.
History of the Museum
The idea of founding the museum originated with a future scientist when he was a young specialist who took part in a workshop on experimental biology, but he could only realize his dream in 1922. The Timiryazevskaya Museum (the guests of the capital mistakenly call this institution the name, in fact its name is different, but more on that later) was the first in the world to introduce such directions of biology as the physiology of plants, animals and humans, genetics, ecology and the theory of evolution .
Unique architecture
Initially, from 1922 to 1934, the Timiryazev Museum in Moscow was located in two halls of the Sverdlovsk University on Miusskaya Square. Subsequently, a unique architectural complex on 15 Malaya Gruzinskaya Street, where the museum is still located, was allocated for its exposure. Its premises were built in the nineteenth century by a Moscow merchant and collector Shchukin specifically for the construction of the Museum of Russian Antiquities. Want to admire the beautiful architecture of this building? There is nothing easier. The metro station near which the museum is located is Timiryazevskaya. Come, do not regret it!
The purpose of the building predetermined its construction in the Old Russian style with characteristic tongs on the roof, original brick decor, an abundance of carvings and tiled inserts. The ceilings and walls inside the building also abounded with paintings, drawings for which were copied from old books. The rooms were equipped with stoves, tiled with tiles. After a while, the room became too cramped for the exposition of Russian antiquities, and Schukin completed another house, which was connected to the first underground tunnel thirty meters long. In addition, a one-story room was built to store archival documents. All three buildings represent a single architectural complex, which in 1995 was awarded the status of a
monument of architecture. By the way, the street next to which is a museum (Timiryazevskaya), one of the famous in Moscow. Arriving here on an excursion, you will thoroughly replenish your luggage of knowledge by learning a lot of interesting things about this piece of White Stone.
First exposure
First of all, the Biological Museum (Timiryazevskaya Street is rich in such establishments, which caused confusion in the names) received an environmental department in which glass windows with plants, aviaries with animals and aquariums with fish were installed. An evolutionary department was also created, which included a drawing of a tree, which clearly demonstrated the stages in the development of the animal and plant world. Some of the expositions were devoted to human evolution and issues of life extension. Even then, experiments with animals were shown to visitors in the laboratory of the physiological department, and in some cases they even took a direct part in them. In addition, the museum opened one of the country's first expositions on genetics and selection.
Role in the learning process
Even today, this cultural institution in its activities is largely guided by the principles of its founder, academician B. Zavadovsky. First of all, he wanted to create a world-view museum, designed not only to demonstrate exhibits to visitors, but also, if possible, to demonstrate the presence of general principles in biology. In his opinion, the main emphasis should be placed on studying the life activity of various organisms, which is facilitated by a visual demonstration of objects. Zavadsky also considered research to be an integral part of the exposition, in which visitors themselves could take part, thus gaining practical knowledge and acquiring skills.
Therefore, the museum to them. Timiryazev can rightfully be considered oriented to school and student audiences; His exposure is actively used in the educational process. Existing exhibits create an excellent base for conducting practical classes on many topics among children and youth. In addition, employees of the institution have specially developed interactive programs designed for students, as well as for family visits.
Museum today
Today, the exhibition has about seventy thousand different exhibits. Particular attention is drawn to the unique exhibition in the Timiryazev Museum, consisting of sculptures on anthropogenesis, as well as an excellent collection of corals and mollusk shells. Employees of the institution also managed to collect an exceptional botanical collection, including a unique herbarium, as well as beautiful sculptures and paintings depicting objects of domestic and foreign microflora.
Many expositions, for example, “Biosphere and Man”, “Plant Physiology”, “Genetics”, “Discovery Room”, etc., have no analogues in Russia. About fifty exhibitions are held annually devoted to individual topics and collections, which are characterized by an interactive presentation of the material and the originality of the issues raised. Also very visited by tourists is the horse-breeding museum on Timiryazevskaya. The official website on the World Wide Web provides detailed information about all upcoming events.
The excursion program includes more than sixty diverse topics and about twenty lectures intended for visitors of any age category. Museum employees conduct all excursions at a high scientific level, accompanying them with a visual demonstration and colorful videos. In addition, the museum regularly hosts exhibitions of flora lovers, such as cacti, violets, orchids, as well as rare minerals. A greenhouse is equipped in the room, allowing visitors to admire exotic plants year-round, and in the surrounding area it is planned to create a landscape exhibition with an artificial pond, alpine slides and arboretum.