Central Naval Museum

About museum

The Central Naval Museum is one of the oldest and largest maritime museums in the world. It all began with the St. Petersburg Model Chamber, which was mentioned in Peter I's letter on 13 (24) January 1709. In 1805 the 'Naval Museum' was established, based on the collections of the Model Chamber. In 1908 the museum was given the name of its founder — Peter the Great. In 1924 it became the Central Naval Museum. In 1939 the Exchange Building was handed over to it, where the exhibition was opened in 1941. The most valuable exhibits were evacuated during the Great Patriotic War. In 1946 the museum reopened its doors. After the war branches were created: on the cruiser 'Aurora', in the settlement of Osinovets, in the building of the Kronstadt Naval Cathedral and on the submarine D-2 'Narodovolets'. In 1975 the Central Naval Museum was awarded the Order of the Red Star. Over three centuries of its existence the museum has collected more than 500,000 items.