A magical place appeared in the capital of our country several years ago - this is a museum of cocoa and chocolate. It meets modern standards, and the main target audience is children. The museum is equipped with interactive elements, sound effects and 3D screens, making its visit a fascinating experience. We will talk more about the museum and all the technical innovations in this article.
Geographical position
The Cocoa and Chocolate Museum "Bear" is located in the Krasnoselsky district of Moscow and is located at Malaya Krasnoselskaya Street, 7.
How to get there
In walking distance from the museum is the metro station "Krasnoselskaya". Also nearby is a ground transportation stop called "Babaev Factory". Bus lines number 122 and 387, as well as fixed-route taxis depart from it. For owners of personal vehicles near the museum parking spaces are provided.
If you purchase an excursion for schoolchildren, the organizers provide transportation from the educational institution to the museum and vice versa. All this is included in the purchase of sightseeing tickets.
History of creation
The Chocolate and Cocoa Museum "Bear" owes its creation to the association in the holding of such giants of the chocolate industry as the confectionery factory OAO Red October and OAO Confectionery Concern Babaevsky. Both of these enterprises have a rich history that spans over a hundred years.
Kuznetsova N.V., Advisor to the General Director of United Confectioners LLC, was appointed the project manager of the Museum project, and the artistic part of the work on the chocolate and cocoa museum expositions was assigned to A. Rainer.
To create a museum, it was planned to use the latest technology. In addition, it was necessary to convey the life and customs of the eras, to combine in one place the rich history of the two enterprises. As a result, in the Museum of the History of Chocolate and Cocoa on Krasnoselskaya, along with multimedia, the historical component is qualitatively maintained, which amazes the imagination of visitors and helps to be in the very center of events of the distant past.
An excursion into the history of the emergence of a chocolate drink
The first hall of the museum of chocolate and cocoa on Krasnoselskaya returns visitors to the events of more than three thousand years ago, to the life of the Mayan tribe. They once inhabited the Mesoamerican region. It was the Indians of this highly developed civilization who first began to use the fruits of the chocolate tree. They discovered the tonic properties of the drink, and only the leader of the tribe and the strongest warriors were allowed to use it.
At the entrance to the museum hall, visitors are greeted by growth wax figures of the Maya Indians. There also grows a real chocolate tree with cocoa beans. The guide warns that the collection of these fruits is done exclusively by hand. During the tour, visitors are allowed to sit on a small copy of the pyramid erected by the ancient people and look through a huge interactive book.
How chocolate got to Europe
The first European to bring the fruits of the chocolate tree to Europe was Christopher Columbus. However, this discovery did not cause any furor, in addition, the famous navigator was not enthusiastic about the drink of the Indians.
At the beginning of the XVI century, the ancient civilization of the Indians was conquered by the Spanish conquistador - Fernando Cortes. It was he who brought the cocoa beans to the Spanish king and taught how to make a drink. It is worth noting that the Spaniards significantly changed the technology for making a chocolate drink. They began to serve it hot, add sugar and spices. The Spaniards did not want to share a recipe for goodies that quickly became popular for several decades.
The second hall of the museum is dedicated to the events mentioned above. It is there that a huge ship is located, carrying the fruits of the chocolate tree from America to Europe. All visitors to the Cocoa and Chocolate Museum are allowed to board. The ship is equipped with multimedia effects, such as the sound of the sea overboard, the starry sky, which is visible through the portholes, and the lunar path.
The development of the chocolate industry in Russia
The third hall of the Museum of the History of Chocolate and Cocoa "Bear" tells about the development of the chocolate industry in Tsarist Russia. Two chocolate factories were widely known at that time. One of them belonged to Ferdinand Einim, and the other to Alexei Ivanovich Abrikosov. Who were these people and what successes did each of them achieve?
Ferdinand Einem came to Moscow from Germany with the firm intention to develop his own business. To save capital, he was engaged in the production of sawn sugar for some time, and then he wrote out a modern steam engine from Europe and began the construction of the factory. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Einem factory was renamed Red October.
Alexey Ivanovich Abrikosov is a Russian entrepreneur who founded a factory that was engaged in the production of chocolate, cookies, biscuits and caramel. Abrikosov A.I. was an extraordinary man. She and her wife, Agrippina Alexandrovna, had twenty-two children. He often pleased friends and relatives with unusual and delicious desserts. Currently, the factory of Alexey Ivanovich bears the name of the concern "Babaevsky."
In the museum at work you can see the growth wax figure of Ferdinand Einem. A chocolate machine was also preserved, which for a nominal fee gave out a piece of goodies. Interestingly, the first Einem factory advertisement appeared on the airship. Further, visitors will be able to see the mansion of Alexei Ivanovich Abrikosov through an interactive screen to appreciate the richness and grace of the situation.
The next interesting exhibit is a production from the life of that time, which is a small chocolate shop. Further, during the tour, visitors will be able to trace the history of the development of the chocolate industry up to the present day. At the stands there are many advertising booklets, wrappers of chocolates, paintings, posters and much more.
The secrets of making chocolate
The Cocoa and Chocolate Museum is located on the territory of the existing confectionery. Therefore, after getting acquainted with the history of chocolate, visitors are invited to observe the process of its manufacture. It is worth noting that the workshop is equipped with modern equipment. A candy packaging machine deserves special attention. The speed and accuracy of the product leaves a lasting impression.
In the chocolate shop it is allowed to taste chocolates at all stages of manufacture, but it is forbidden to take sweets with you. The guide will tell you about the types of chocolate, how they differ from each other and that cocoa beans must be dried in the sun before grinding. It will also teach you to choose a quality product on store shelves. To do this, just carefully read the information on the labels.
The museum hosts small workshops where visitors can make desserts of chocolate, wafer sheet and nuts on their own.
Museum of the History of Chocolate and Cocoa: reviews
From the very opening, the museum began to enjoy mass popularity among local residents and visitors. The organizers did everything to make this place attractive to visitors. The museum is multimedia, information is served easily, and tasting sweets will not leave anyone indifferent.
A lot of enthusiastic comments from visitors of different ages only confirm the clear success of the enterprise. Particular attention was paid to such museum exhibits as the ship on which chocolate was delivered to Europe, and the mansion of businessman A. I. Abrikosov.
Excursions
Currently, the museum of chocolate and cocoa is very in demand, so you must make an appointment in advance to visit it. The main target audience of the museum is children from six years old. Although adults will also be very interested.
Tours differ in programs that can be viewed on the museum website. There, choose the right one for yourself. It is worth noting that one of the proposed excursions is conducted by the mischievous robot "Alenka".
Having visited this wonderful place, you will learn a lot about chocolate, get a lot of impressions and taste the delicacies of the most famous chocolate factories in our country.