Novokuznetsk Local History Museum

Novokuznetsk Museum of Local Lore is one of the largest museums of the Kemerovo region and the oldest in Kuzbass. Opened on November 7, 1927 in the city of Kuznetsk (modern Kuznetsk district of Novokuznetsk). In 1955, after numerous moves, the museum occupied the first floor of a residential building, where it still exists. A large permanent exhibition was created here, which worked for more than 20 years.

The new modern exposition, which for its time became one of the best in Siberia, was opened after a comprehensive re-exposition of the museum in 1985 and with a number of additions and necessary adjustments operated until 2011, when the museum was closed for renovation. In 2014, as part of the celebration of the regional Miner’s Day in Novokuznetsk, a major renovation of the museum premises was completed and a new exposition was opened in accordance with the best museum and technical achievements. Over the years of its existence, the museum was visited by about 5 million people.

The museum has rich collections, which number 60 thousand exhibits. Among them there are many rare and even unique items: the collection of white bronze of the Ust-Abinsky burial ground (III-IV centuries), a fragment of the Kuznetsk commemorative wooden cross of 1717 (the legend attributes its manufacture to Peter I himself), the banner of the Communist International of Youth of the 1920s, brought to Kuznetskstroy by R.M. Hitarov, a collection of Soviet and Russian awards and memorial signs, rare specimens of samovars of the first half of the XIX century, items of ethnography of the indigenous peoples of Kuzbas. Most of the rarities of Kuznetsk history are shown in the permanent exhibition of the museum and are available to all visitors.

The museum is active in exhibition activities, presenting more than fifty exhibitions annually, including major exhibition projects.