Museums and Society: The Museum of Russian expeditions is opened in Penza

In Penza is opened the Museum of Russian expeditions, created by the regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society.

The museum was created to preserve the legacy of Russian geographical expeditions and to perpetuate the heroic names of Penza researchers and travelers.

The museum exposition starts with a story about the history of the Society, the era of great geographical discoveries. In one of the largest world expedition beginning of the XIX century - Bellingshausen - Lazarev, when was opened the sixth continent of Antarctica, as part of the crew of the sloop "Mirny" was nee of Penza province, Doctor Nikolai Galkin. There is a replica of the legendary sloop among the exhibits.   

A special place in the new museum belongs to exhibition devoted to Lawrence Zagoskin - a native of the Penza region, the famous researcher of Russian America. The main exhibit - a book of 1847 "Walking the inventory of the Russian possessions in America, produced by Lt. Lawrence Zagoskin in 1842, 1843 and 1844" and the map itself "Russian possessions in America". You can also see the route of maps, copies of the forms of Russian America. The exposition about Zagoskin is ended with replica of the brig "Okhotsk", where intrepid explorer sailed to the shores of Russian America and the Pacific Islands. 

The Museum of Russian expeditions also features personal belongings, photographs, books, certificates of a native of the Penza region, veteran explorer Eugene Suzyumov. A great help was held by the son of the intrepid polar explorer-Penza citizen, UNESCO expert Alexei Suzyumov. Replica of diesel-electric "Ob" - the flagship of Soviet Antarctic fleet age of the first Antarctic expedition (1955-1956) is the center of the exhibition devoted to Suzyumov.

To Hero of the Soviet Union, the long voyage captain Konstantin Badigin is dedicated the "writer's corner", which houses the desk, chairs, a typewriter, a tunic, logbooks and other personal belongings.

In the museum you can learn about the traveler-Penza citizen Tikhon Sёmushkin: here are presented his personal belongings and books about Chukotka.

One of the stands is dedicated to forwarding activity of the Penza regional branch of the Russian Geographical Society since its reconstitution. It tells of the mountain and water trips, expeditions, festivals organized by the department. Among them - the expedition "Geography of Victory" (in honor of the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War).

Special attention is given to the Hero of Russia, cosmonaut Alexander Samokutyaev. Alexander Samokutyaev is a member of the Society since 2011 and always provides support to the Penza regional office. During his second flight Alexander turned the RGS flag on board of the ISS.