Museum of the History of Physics and Mathematics

About museum

The Museum of Physics and Mathematics, Mechanics and Astronomy was opened in 2001 and is named after the world-renowned theoretical physicist V. A. Fock. It displays materials on the history of physics that were preserved at the Institute of Physics and the Physics Faculty of St. Petersburg State University. In addition, the museum houses models of mechanisms that were transferred from the Cabinet of Practical Mechanics, founded in 1865 under the leadership of Privat-Docent M. F. Okatov. The collection includes models created by Academician P. L. Chebyshev, as well as models from the collection of the German engineer-mechanic Franz Reuleaux. These models demonstrate various kinds of motion and the transformation of one type of motion into another. The collection continued to be supplemented during the 20th century.