Feodosia Museum of Antiquities

About museum

Feodosia Museum of Antiquities is one of the oldest museums in Europe, established by decree of Emperor Alexander I in November 1810 and opened in May 1811. The basis of the museum collection was the antiquities collection of the Feodosian merchant Djevardji. The original museum building housed marble lions, a slab depicting a griffin and other monuments from the ruins of medieval Caffa, as well as ancient artifacts. In 1871 its collections were moved to a new building constructed by I. K. Aivazovsky on Mount Mithridat. During World War II the former building was destroyed, and from 1925 the museum occupied part of Aivazovsky's house. The most valuable exhibits were evacuated in 1941, but the main collection remained in Feodosia. In 1945 the museum resumed receiving visitors and since 1988 has been housed in a building that is an architectural monument of the early 20th century. The museum's holdings include more than 80,000 items representing all stages of the history of southeastern Crimea and the region's nature, as well as Feodosia's rich history.