Severomorsk Museum of the History of the City and the Fleet

About museum

The Museum of the Historical Development of the City and the Naval Fleet of Severomorsk was established by decision of the administration of the closed administrative-territorial formation (ZATO) of Severomorsk on October 2, 1996. A solemn opening ceremony dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy was held on October 26, 1996. The museum’s first year of operation was a period of formation and consolidation of its main directions and working methods as a young cultural institution. Initially the museum staff numbered only four people, who were tasked with collecting exhibits for the first exhibition. In this difficult work the Military History Museum of the Northern Red Banner Fleet extended a helping hand and provided photographs and items on temporary loan that told the story of the town’s past and the development of its fleet. Many municipal institutions, organizations and local residents — who were particularly interested in the past of their small homeland — also provided support. Thanks to this assistance, display panels and vitrines in the first exhibition hall gradually multiplied. Two years later the museum received as a gift some exhibits from the famous Room of Labor Glory of the Fleet Builders, which became the basis for a new exhibition dedicated to the period of the town’s construction. Over time the museum’s staff continued to grow. From the moment of its opening the museum became an important part of the city’s cultural life. Visitors to Severomorsk began their acquaintance with the town by visiting the museum, which has hosted leaders of many nationally important state structures, not only of the navy but of the whole country, including representatives of public foundations — for example the Andrew the First-Called Foundation — and people’s artists Vladimir Konkin and Vladimir Gostyukhin, as well as other figures of arts and culture. The first hall tells of the distant past of the small settlement of Vaenga and of the history of the development of the military flotilla. The Hall of Military Glory presents the history of the Northern Fleet’s submarine, surface and air forces during the Great Patriotic War (World War II). The City Hall contains an exhibition made up of several sections: the work of the city’s industrial enterprises, the history of the city’s construction, contemporary activities in culture, healthcare, education, consumer services and a section describing the sporting achievements of the city’s residents. Here the main focus is on present-day Severomorsk and its recent past. Thanks to the ongoing work of the Department of Culture and the international relations office of the Severomorsk administration, the museum has modern technical equipment at its disposal. Necessary mobile structures are installed in the Halls of Military Glory to accommodate large three-dimensional exhibits, and all museum display cases are equipped with dedicated spot lighting. The museum has a hall for temporary exhibitions that displays works of graphic art and painting, as well as photographs and items of children’s and decorative-applied arts. The hall is equipped with multimedia and video equipment, allowing thematic talks, lectures and large-scale cultural events to be held at a high quality level. At present the museum’s collection comprises about four thousand items in the main fund and approximately two thousand units in the scientific and auxiliary fund. The museum has a staff of 12, each of whom has become a true master of their specialty. Thanks to their work, the museum hosts around five hundred events annually, runs 15 educational programs and cycles, and supports 8 amateur associations and clubs. In addition to its essential scientific, educational and outreach activities, the Severomorsk Museum of the History of the City and the Fleet carries out military-patriotic and scientific-methodological functions. The museum has repeatedly received awards for educating the younger generation and for its work with military units.