Museum of the Book

The museum consists of the two main expositions. The first reconstructs the atmosphere of the study of the first Tobolsk publisher, the merchant Vassily Korniliev. The other contains some outstanding printed editions of the XVIII-XX centuries. The exposition is being constantly replenished out of the funds of the library at the Tobolsk reservation museum for history and architecture.

The library was opened in 1890. At that time 587 volumes out of the Tobolsk statistic committee were passed to the museum. At present over 50 thousand books, newspapers, and magazines are kept at the library. Among them are some rarities published in Tobolsk in XVIIIth century by the Korniliev’s publishing house, and some collections of the local newspapers ‘Tobolsk regional news’ (1857-1918), ‘Siberian leaf’ (1891-1919), ‘Tobolsk worker’ (1917).

The most precious volumes are undoubtedly considered to be the works by S. Remezov ‘The Short History of Siberia’ published in 1880, and ‘The Sketch Book of Siberia’ published in 1882. The exposition also contains first editions of the Bible, ‘The Russian Grammar’ by Lomonossov 91755), ‘Magnitski arithmetic’, and some others.

Prolific heritage of modern Tobolsk writers, historians and researchers is also presented in the museum. The museum has become a meeting place for Tobolsk writers, and here one can get acquainted with new books published in the town.