The Cherdyn Local History Museum is preparing a permanent exhibition, which it will unveil to the public on December 13.
From September 15 to December 12 the building of the New Museum Space at 58 Yurganovskaya St. is closed to visitors. For two months, installation work is underway here to construct the new permanent exhibition. So what kind of exhibition is it and what will it include?
The permanent exhibition will be located on the second floor of the New Museum Space (58 Yurganovskaya St.). It consists of four halls that, through authentic objects held in the museum's collection, will tell the ancient history of Cherdyn — from the very origins of this land to the town's incorporation into the Russian state.
First Hall
The key to understanding Cherdyn is the Parma. It has always been a silent witness to history and its main creative force: shaping the landscape, determining daily life, beliefs, and the character of its people. The forest here links epochs into a single whole, creating a sense of 'timelessness': objects of the Permian animal style sit alongside bones of Ice Age animals, treasures of the ancient East alongside artifacts of Rus', discoveries of Soviet scientists alongside the newest finds of contemporary archaeologists. A history without beginning or end, amidst the eternal Parma.
Parma has become the unifying link of the entire exhibition. In each hall it appears in a new guise, demonstrating its evolution from an object of worship to a source of resources, while always remaining the unchanging foundation of life. This idea is underscored by the exhibition design, made using natural wood and earthy dark pigments. The mysterious atmosphere and the notion of Parma's omnipresence are supported by drawings of elements of the Permian animal style, art objects made from trunks and roots, black display panels and showcases, and artificial moss.
Third Hall
Historians, families with children, and organized tourist groups all come to Cherdyn. Therefore the exhibition's concept combines scholarly depth and spectacle. Archaeologists and reenactors will appreciate unique exhibits, many of which have not previously left the Cherdyn museum's collections. Young visitors and schoolchildren will enjoy interactive elements and multimedia installations that make immersion in history engaging and accessible. One of the key exhibits in the museum will be traditional costumes of medieval inhabitants of the Pre-Urals, recreated with the participation of professional jewelers and costume reenactors. At present the project is in production and is being carried out by the team from the Voronezh agency “For Nature”.
Second Hall
"This is a landmark event not only for our museum and colleagues, but also for all residents and visitors of Cherdyn. The museum has not had a permanent exhibition since 2017, and its last section, the 'Department of Nature', was dismantled in 2023 when the building of the former Uyezd Zemstvo Administration went into restoration. We hope that the permanent exhibition will become a place of new discoveries for those who visit Cherdyn often and for those who are only planning their visit," says Irina Trofimova, the museum director.
