Spassky Historical and Archaeological Museum named after G.K. Wagner

In 1918, a museum was organized in the city of Spassk to protect former noble estates, monuments of art and antiquity. In the future, the goals changed, and one of the main tasks was the preservation and study of the archaeological monument of world importance - the Old Ryazan settlement.

The first director of the museum was a local historian, pochmeister A.F. Fedorov - a particularly revered person among the old-timers of the city. During its existence, the museum closed and reopened several times, moving from one building to another. After ten years of oblivion in 1967, on the initiative of another director, I.V. Pravkin, the museum again opened its doors for visitors. In 1982, P.V. Kiryukhin became the director. On his initiative, the museum was transferred to an elegant 2-storey mansion of Morozov merchants, a building of the late 19th century, where it is located now. Since 1998, the Historical and Archaeological Museum has been named after Georgy Karlovich Wagner - doctor of art history, laureate of the State Prize of the USSR, a native of the city of Spassk.

The exposition of the museum shows the history, life and culture of the native land from ancient times to the middle of the XX century. Here you can see:

• Archaeology, paleontology of the Spassky district. Ethnography and life of the inhabitants. The exhibition tells about the difficult life of our ancestors.
• History of the Ryazan principality. The special attraction of the hall is the diorama of Old Ryazan before the invasion of Khan Batu, it gives an idea of that era, the meaning and greatness of Ryazan in the times of Ancient Russia.
• Interior of merchant and philistine life of the early XX century. Here you can see unique exhibits received from the residents of the city.
• The Great Patriotic War. On authentic documents and objects, on specific examples, the history of national courage and perseverance during the years of severe trials in the Second World War is revealed.
• Nature department. Various dioramas, biogroups are used here, which visually represent the animal world of the Oka Biosphere Reserve, located on the territory of the district.
• The exhibition hall changes its exposition several times a year.

Currently, the museum has more than 10 thousand exhibits of the main and scientific and auxiliary funds.