Every traveler who has arrived in St. Petersburg has a magnificent city that is often compared with Venice. And immediately in my head the words from A. Mironov’s song pop up: ““ Before this beauty, everything is vanity and smoke. ”
This city can rightfully be called the magnetic pole of culture and aesthetics. Such a number of monuments, sights, museums and theaters are not found in any other place in the world. The city replaced three names for its short-lived (by historical standards) life, and became the cradle of three revolutions. Built in a swamp, in impassable forests, it sparkled like a diamond, illuminating with its light the history of a great state.
The most of the most
The adjective "the most" fits the Northern capital of Russia. It is not only the most beautiful, here are the most famous theaters, the largest museums. And if you are interested in flora and fauna, you can plunge headlong into the wonderful world of nature, and the wonderful city of St. Petersburg will help in this. The Zoological Museum is an amazing place where the secrets of the universe are revealed.
St. Petersburg: Zoological Museum (history of creation)
This institution, like many others, began its existence with the light hand of Peter I. The museum was founded in 1714. At first it was a Kunstkamera, for which they collected a small collection of outlandish animals. Interesting exhibits are constantly replenished. By 1832, there were so many of them, they were of such scientific value that the Kunstkamera was given the status of a museum.
And it became known as the Zoological Museum of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Six years later, it was opened to visitors. The first director of the unique institution was Academician F.F. Brant, who made a significant contribution to the creation of the museum fund. Many scholars gave their collections - this is A. Middendorf, and C. Baer. Such legendary discoverers as Miklouho-Maclay and Nikolai Przhevalsky constantly brought more and more exhibits from their expeditions.
From year to year the collection increased, the place was sorely lacking. In 1896, the museum moved to the building of the southern warehouse of the Exchange. Five years were needed in order to equip new premises and prepare expositions.
In 1901, the Zoological Museum in St. Petersburg was inaugurated. The ceremony was attended by Nicholas II himself and his family members. After the revolution, in 1930, the museum became part of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
It should be noted that in essence it is still a laboratory in which research is conducted in the field of biology and zoology. At present, the Institute’s exhibition department includes two biostations, twelve laboratories, a huge library and its own information and publishing department.
Interesting place
The Zoological Museum in St. Petersburg has a large number of interesting exhibits located on an area of six thousand square meters. And this is certainly not the limit, because the fund is constantly updated with new items brought from various scientific expeditions. Now more than thirty thousand animals, dioramas with scenes from the wild, and a lot of documents telling about the lives of our smaller brothers are on display. In storage there are about fifteen million exhibits.
All expositions are arranged in a systematic manner. Here, in separate rooms, representatives of the fauna are exhibited - from protozoa to primates. There are also exhibits representing Darwin's evolutionary theory. Here you can admire rare animals. Amazing exhibitions are accompanied by fascinating stories from experienced guides. Arriving in St. Petersburg, the Zoological Museum is worth a visit.
Exhibits
Not a single visitor is indifferent. The museum features a large number of mollusks and corals (the Invertebrate Animals department), marsupial mammals from Australia, and rare species of tropical birds. Thanks to the unique processing of stuffed animals, all the exhibits look completely alive. This museum has the richest collections (the best in the world) of cetaceans and the Palearctic fauna. The mummies of small mammoths, which were given the names Dima and Masha, are very popular among guests. Attention is also drawn to the skeleton of a woolly mammoth and the southern elephant found in Kolyma, on the banks of the Berezovka river. No less interesting are the remains of mammals that inhabited the earth in the fortieth century BC.
Opening hours and address
The institution is located on the University Embankment, building 1. This place is very popular, many rush to visit the Zoological Museum. Opening hours: daily except Tuesday. Excursions run from eleven in the morning until six in the evening.
Be sure to come to St. Petersburg! The Zoological Museum will open your doors to the wonderful world of animals.