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Vladimir. The Vladimir-Suzdal history, architecture and art museum. The museum exposition and display of (Powder box, handgun and bag of bullets. 2nd half of the XVIII century.) photo by Alexxx1979 –

Top 10 Facts about Vladimir Suzdal Museum Reserve

A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for education, study and enjoyment.

The function of modern museums is to collect, preserve, interpret and display objects of artistic, cultural or scientific significance for the education of the public. From a visitor of community perspective, the purpose can also depend on one鈥檚 point of view.

Museums play a crucial role in preserving local culture. With careful documentation and artifact preservation, a culture can be recorded and remembered regardless of its future. It can also be shared and understood by those from different cultural backgrounds

One of such institutions is the Vladimir Suzdal museum, a wonderful museum that comprises many historical architectural monuments dating from the twelfth century. It contains a very large and interesting collection of wonderful paintings and a lot of symbols with important historical connotations, as there are many paintings painted by famous masters.

It is truly a remarkable place worth visiting, here are the top 10 facts about the Vladimir Suzdal museum-reserve.

1. The Museum in Vladimir was founded in 1854

Prince Alexander Nevsky photo by Kremlin Armory artists –

The museum in Vladimir was founded in 1854 under the Vladimir statistical committee. Its original collection included several works gathered by the Vladimir Gubernia Scientific and Archival commission which worked from the late 1890s and 1917.

After the revolution, the monasteries and churches of Vladimir and its surrounding cities were closed and icons and other artworks from them were transferred to the museum. Among the pieces transferred include some from the Religion and History Depository of the Brotherhood of Alexander Nevsky in Vladimir.

2. The Vladimir Suzdal Museum Reserve opened in 1923

With its artistic collection based predominantly on assets from the closed monasteries and the city鈥檚 churches, the Vladimir Suzdal museum opened in 1923. The museum was a venue for various festivals with its traditional goose fights.

3. Vladimir Suzdal Museum was established in 1958 after merging

The collections of the museums in Vladimir and Suzdal merged into a unified museum centre in 1958, together forming the state history, architecture and art Vladimir-Suzdal Museum. In 1961- 1962 the ethnographical museums of Alexandrov and Mstyora joined the complex.

The merging of the collections of these museums laid the foundation for the great collection of ancient Russian paintings that was later expanded by the findings of expeditions through the Vladimir region and works acquired from private collectors.

4. It is one of the oldest museum associations in Russia

The State History, Architecture and Art Vladimir- Suzdal Museum Reserve celebrated its 15oth anniversary in 2004. This makes it one of the oldest and largest museum associations in Russia. Historic Architecture has beautiful and very Russian architecture.

The buildings have been well restored in such a way to retain the timeless atmosphere of Russia.

5. The Reserves total collection of ancient art exceeds 2000 exhibits

Andrei Rublev photo by Andrey Subbotin –

The Reserve鈥檚 total collection of ancient Russian art numbers more than 2000 exhibits. The unique collection of ancient icons includes 鈥渙ur lady of Bogolyubor (1158), Our Lady of Maksimov (1299)鈥� and 鈥淥ur Lady of Vladimir鈥� (by Andrei Rublev, the late 14th or early 15th century).

There are over 2000 works of old and modern Russian painting in the Vladimir and Suzdal Museum-Reserve.

The exhibits are archaeological findings and coin collections, 13th -20th-century iconography, ancient and modern examples of Russian visual arts, famous lacquer miniature works by Mystora artists, glass artworks and porcelain, ancient scriptures and books from the 15th -20th centuries and artefacts of everyday life in ancient Russia.

6. The Museum-Reserve main subsidiary is in Gus Khrustalny

Gus-Khrustalny. Saint George Cathedral (Crystal Museum) photo by Alexxx Malev –

The museum in Gus Khrustalny is a subsidiary of the Vladimir and Suzdal museum reserve. In the late 18th century Akim Maltsev established near the river Gus in the Vladimir Gubernia of the first glass factories in Russia.

Maltsev crystal finally received international acclaim in the 19th century. The museum鈥檚 exhibition showcases one of the richest collections of Russian glass artworks and is located in the magnificent St. George Cathedral designed by L.N Benois Built-in 1903.

7. The Reserves鈥� exhibits have a close connection to the museum

Coat of Arms of Vladimir gubernia 1856 photo by Lobachev Vladimir –

The story of the museum works is closely connected with certain stages of the history of the museum itself. In 1854, the altruistic work of enthusiasts and admirers of local history like K.N. Tikhonravov, I.A. Golyshev, N. G Dobrynkin and N. An Artleben helped to create the Museum of Natural and Handmade works of Vladimir Gubernia.

In 1901, with the support of the Vladimir Gubernia scientific and Archival commission and many private donations, a new two-storey building designed by the city architect P.G Begen was built for the museum, where the exhibition was released. On June 17, 1906, it was opened to the public.

8. The Museum鈥檚 monuments are mentioned in UNESCO鈥檚 world heritage list

The Vladimir Suzdal Museum- Reserve includes the most significant art collections and monuments of Vladimir, Suzdal, Bogolyubov, Kiueksha and Gus Khrustatny. The association incorporates 40 separate museum locations and 55 architectural monuments, nine of which are mentioned on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

All these make the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve a real attraction for tourists from Russia and abroad.

9. They acquired most nationalized artworks in the 19th century

Vorontsov-Dashkov by Repin photo by Ilya Repin –

The nationalized artworks from deserted mansions of former land owners became the main source for the museum鈥檚 new acquisitions. The greater number of pictures were brought from the Andreyevskoye estate of the Vorontsov-Dashkovs and the Fetinino estate of the Zubov counts.

10. The museum was bequeathed portraits of V.N Akinov鈥檚 relatives

In 1914, in the will of the landowner V.N Akinov, portraits of his relatives from three Vladimir generations were bequeathed to the museum.