CONTEMPORARY RUSSIAN HISTORY MUSEUM

When I told Dimitri in class today that we had gone to the "State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia," he was unimpressed. He thinks that museum is boring. And as well he should. Much of it is about events that have happened during his life, and he needs no museum to cover that territory.

I, on the other hand, found it interesting. While the history itself has been covered in a variety of museums we've visited and is relatively common knowledge for most, it was presented in a very clear and engaging manner. The photos and posters and objects from the various periods showcased were interesting to us, if not unique.

And as usual, we were among the last visitors to exit before the museum closed. Even Andrea couldn't believe we had spent as much time there as we had. We could have probably used another 20-30 minutes maximum and another set of AA batteries for our camera flash.

We had gone to this museum in search of a particular painting of the "Moscow Canal." A colleague of Andrea's had requested we photograph it. We looked for it at Abramtsevo on Sunday, and we were told there that it is on display for an exhibit at the Contemporary Russian History Museum. However, we were told yesterday at the Contemporary Russian History Museum that the exhibition is now closed and that the objects are no longer available for viewing. RUSSIA!

The vast majority of photos we took were for Andrea's research. Here are just a few from the day.

VIEW OF FRONT OF MUSEUM FROM A SECOND FLOOR WINDOW. THIS BUILDING WAS AT ONE TIME THE MOSCOW ENGLISH CLUB - FROM 1831 UNTIL THE 1917 REVOLUTION. DURING THE CIVIL WAR THAT CAME AFTER THE REVOLUTION, THE EXTERIOR WAS SHOT UP PRETTY BADLY. IN 1924, THE MUSEUM OF THE REVOLUTION OPENED HERE. SINCE 1998, THE MUSEUM DISPLAYS RUSSIAN HISTORY GOING BACK TO THE FREEING OF THE SERFS IN 1861 UNTIL PERESTROIKA.

A SOVIET STYLE STONE IMAGE ON THE MAIN STAIRCASE.

THE MUSEUM'S FIRST ROOM HAS A SMATTERING OF ITEMS, BUT AT LEAST A FOURTH OF THE ROOM IS DEDICATED TO VLADIMIR PUTIN AND RUSSIA'S RECENT WORLD HOCKEY VICTORIES.

AN ANONYMOUS MUSEUM GOER.

EMPRESS ALEXANDRA DOING EMBROIDERY WHILE IMPRISONED IN EKATERINABURG AFTER THE REVOLUTION AND WITHIN MONTHS OF HER EXECUTION. ANDREA WAS IN SEARCH OF THIS KIND OF IMAGERY...

...AS WELL AS ACTUAL EMBROIDERED ITEMS AND OTHER TEXTILES.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO RONALD REAGAN. THIS MAP WAS PART OF THE GLASNOST ERA DISPLAY. IT'S FOR ERIN! PS - THERE'S ALSO A PHOTO OF UNCLE RONNIE AND MIKE GORBACHEV, BUT IT'S TOO BLURRY.

OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM ARE SOME FINE EXAMPLES OF WORLD WAR I ERA MILITARY HARDWARE, SUCH AS THIS ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER.

PUSHKIN SQUARE IS JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM THE MUSEUM. HERE THE GREAT POET SEEMS TO LITERALLY LOOK DOWN HIS NOSE AT THE RUSSIAN THEATRE'S PERFORMANCE OF DISNEY'S "LITTLE MERMAID."

AFTER A DINNER OF SHRIMP WITH THE HEADS STILL ATTACHED (ANDREA HAD CHICKEN QUESADILLAS - GOOD CHOICE), ANDREA SPENT MORE THAN 90 MINUTES BOOK SHOPPING IN THIS FAMOUS MOSCOW BOOK STORE ON TVERSKAYA STREET.

WHILE ANDREA SHOPPED, I FINISHED MY HOMEWORK AT THE RESTAURANT AND THEN WAITED  FOR HER ON THE STREET. TVERSKAYA IS A MAJOR RETAIL STREET WITH MANY WESTERN NAME BRAND STORES. WALKING IT, WE BOTH FELT AS IF WE COULD BE ON 5TH AVENUE IN NYC OR ON MICHIGAN AVENUE IN CHICAGO. IT JUST HAD THAT KIND OF VIBE!