Memorable Dates of Russia: The State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics in Kaluga celebrates the 165th anniversary of K. E. Tsiolkovsky

On September 17, 2022 the Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics (Kaluga) celebrates a remarkable date – the 165th anniversary since the birth of Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky, the great Russian scientist, whose works are directly associated with the theoretical foundations of the world cosmonautics.

On this day, the exhibition “Oh, I have not lived in this world for nothing!” opens in the historical building of the Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics, marking the 165th anniversary of the founder of theoretical cosmonautics Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky.

The exhibition based on the interlacement of biographical facts, work moments, scientific communications, friendly meetings and hobbies of the scientist tells about the live and work of K. E. Tsiolkovsky in Kaluga.

Visitors to the exhibition will have an opportunity to learn not only about the life of the great scientist in the city near the Oka River, but to dive into the atmosphere of the time as well. Old postcards with the views of Kaluga, posters of films and plays showcased in cinema in the early XX century, works of art will tell about the city during the Tsiolkovsky’s era.

Guest will see over 200 pieces from the collections of the Museum – rare documents, photographs, personal belongings of Konstantin Eduardovich, materials of scientific work, antemortem publications of the scientist, pieces of art and others.

The exhibition is designed for a wide range of visitors and will run until December 10, 2022.

In addition, the exhibition “K. E. Tsiolkovsky and A. L. Chizhevsky. Years of Friendship” has opened in the Chizhevsky House-Museum (a branch of the museum), marking the 125th anniversary of A. L. Chizhevsky and the 165th anniversary of K. E. Tsiolkovsky. Visitors will have a chance to learn about the scientific and friendly connections of two remarkable Kaluga scientists-thinkers of the XX century, as well as about their creative interactions and help in defending each other’s scientific ideas.

A. L. Chizhevsky was a friend of K. E. Tsiolkovsky for more than two decades. He knew all of his works, dreams, wishes. The scientist-heliobiologist, similarly to Tsiolkovsky, dreamt about space flights. Alexander Leonidovich was lucky to live to see the triumph of Soviet cosmonautics – flights of the first heroes to space.

The exhibition features documents, photographs, letters of the scientists from the collections of the Tsiolkovsky Museum and the private archive of L. V. Golovanov. The exposition is complemented by vivid portraits of K. E. Tsiolkovsky and A. L. Chizevsky.

The exhibition will run until November 16, 2022.

Also in the memory of K. E. Tsiolkovsky, scientific and popular publications by experienced specialists, researchers of the life and work of the scientist, patriarchs of museum field are published weekly on the Museum’s website from April until the end of the year. The topics are diverse: these are little-known facts from the biography of Tsiolkovsky, aspects of his scientific work, treasures of pedagogical thoughts, worldwide recognition of the merits of the cosmic prophet, announcements of events, interesting meetings at the Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics and the House-Museum of the scientist, communication with space-orientated museums.