Arctic and Antarctic Museum
![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Russian. (January 2014) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|

The Russian State Arctic and Antarctic Museum (Russian: Российский государственный музей Арктики и Антарктики) is a museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was established in November 1930 as part of the Soviet Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, but was not opened until six years later.[1]
Exhibits
[edit]The museum is located in Avraam Melnikov's Neoclassical Church of St Nicholas[2] from the 1820s and remains the largest museum dedicated to polar exploration in the world.[3] The exhibits are spread across two floors.[4] The current director of the museum is Victor Boyarsky.[5]
One of the main exhibitions in the museum chronicles the history of SS Chelyuskin, a Soviet steamship which sank in Polar waters in 1934. The museum houses a small plane which had been on board the ship and used to carry survivors to safety.[6]
The museum displays are divided into four main categories:[6]
- Arctic environment
- The discovery and history of exploration of the Northern Sea Route
- Economy and culture of the Northern regions
- Antarctica
The museum contains large numismatic collections, holding over 4000 coins dating back to the 16th century, and medals awarded to polar explorers. They also hold a large philatelic collection, holding both mail sent from the Arctic and Antarctic, items from their post offices, and stamps commemorating polar exploration.[7]
During the Second World War the museum was closed and evacuated to Krasnoyarsk in Siberia. The museum was reopened again in 1950.[7]
The museum has also organised over 300 exhitions across Russia and internationally.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "General Information". Archived from the original on 26 December 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2007.
- ^ "Arctic and Antarctic Museum, Saint Petersburg". Divento. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ Russian State Museum of Arctic and Antarctic Archived December 11, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic". Guide For You Tours. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ "Vicaar » Dr. Victor Boyarsky". Archived from the original on 22 November 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ a b c "Arctic and Antarctic Museum in St.Petersburg, Russia". www.saint-petersburg.com. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ a b "The State Russian Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic, St. Petersburg". www.expresstorussia.com. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
External links
[edit]- Arctic and Antarctic Museum - official site
- 1930 establishments in Russia
- Arctic research
- Russia and the Antarctic
- Science museums in Saint Petersburg
- Natural history museums in Saint Petersburg
- Art museums and galleries in Saint Petersburg
- Museums established in 1930
- Soviet Union and the Antarctic
- Polar exploration by Russia and the Soviet Union
- Antarctic research