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Geology museums in Krasnoyarsk: thousands of exhibits and a unique history

17 March 2022
Geology museums in Krasnoyarsk: thousands of exhibits and a unique history

Geology is a vital science for the Krasnoyarsk Region. There are lots of mining companies here that operate thanks to the geologists who discovered commercially viable mineral resources. It is not surprising that some Krasnoyarsk residents have been interested in exploring minerals since their childhood. The region is home to the Geology Museum of Central Siberia and the Geology Museum of Middle Siberia.

A delegation comprising Sergey Yeremin, Mayor of Krasnoyarsk; Marina Aksenova, acting Head of Education; Yuri Filiptsov, Head of Subsoil Use in the Central Siberian District; Ivan Sergeev, Head of Geological Data, Krasnoyarsk Branch of the Siberian Federal District; and Nikita Smirnov, Director for GR and Licensing at Polyus Krasnoyarsk, visited the city.

The Geology Museum of Middle Siberia is located at Mira Avenue, 37. This historic building was constructed in 1909 by the Krasnoyarsk architect V. Sokolovsky and housed a parochial secondary school for girls. There is no better place for such a noble science as geology. The museum exhibits unique finds and samples of stones discovered in Siberia.

The museum opened in 1960, and its collection is considered one of the best regional geological collections in Russia and the most comprehensive beyond the Urals. It contains more than 30,000 rare items and includes samples of ore, bedrock and minerals, as well as books, maps, instruments, geological equipment, jewelry and even paintings by geologists. This exhibition represents just one sixth of the collection, or 5,000 items from every continent.

Additional exhibition areas and modern display cases were required to show the museum’s complete collection. Polyus was able to support the museum by providing display racks and cases.

«Geology is an integral part and the foundation of any mining business. For Polyus, the company and geology are closely connected. This year, we have focused on popularizing geology by setting up some new projects. For example, the Park of Geologists is opening downtown with Polyus acting as the general sponsor. We also decided to support an initiative to establish a new complex of display cases at the Museum of Middle Siberia. The opening of the federal museum was a fantastic event for its team and for everyone who is interested in geology,» said Nikita Smirnov, Director for GR and Licensing at Polyus Krasnoyarsk.

Sergey Yeremin, Mayor of Krasnoyarsk, commented:

«Krasnoyarsk and geology have a very close historical relationship. Our treasures are still not fully explored. It is important to develop an education component as part of the city’s partnership with the museums that will make it possible for students to study not only theory but also practice. They can study geology, the environment and much more here. The museums should work more closely with schools.»

Sergey Yeremin expressed his gratitude to Polyus for its support in renovating the Park of Geologists and enriching the museum’s exhibition.

Polyus has supported another geology museum — GEOS — for quite a long time. This museum is also located downtown and has hosted the School of Young Geologists for more than 10 years. Children of different ages apply to study there and they are all interested in geology.

«Partnership projects enable the museum to invite visitors and hold exhibitions free of charge. Students can take part in Olympiads and workshops and enhance their social and environmental responsibility. We explain to our visitors how beautiful inanimate nature is and how much had to happen to form the landscapes we now see across our city,» said Yulia Mansurova, Director of the Geology Museum of Central Siberia.

Krasnoyarsk residents and guests can visit these unique geology museums and learn lots of interesting things about the region.

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