History of Siberia reflected in the museum’s collection

The Tobolsk state reservation museum for history and architecture is regarded as an unique cultural center that has absorbed many important sketches out of historical heritage of Siberia. One of the oldest exhibits are bronze-plates discovered in the Istyask treasury dated to the second half of the II century B.C. Apart from a rich archaeological collection the museum has got unique ethnographic cult items, decorations and clothing of indigenous peoples of Siberia. The Ermak Hall reconstitutes an epoch of Siberia conquest. First wooden-built burgs have been reconstructed, and samples of clothing and arms of a legendary ataman have been preserved up to now.

A lot of unique items belong to the XVIII century, a period of Tobolsk being the capital of immense Siberian territories. For instance a metropolitan’s mitre by Moscow craftsmen of the XVII century is considered of great artistic merits and historical importance. An inkstand out from the Tobolsk chancellery, ‘A Mirror newspaper’ with Peter’s I Decrees, and a standard sent to Tobolsk to declare a victory over Turkey can present but a minor part of precious exhibits that illustrate the most vivid pages in the history of Tobolsk. There also are presented expositions depicting prominent Tobolsk residents – Semen Remezov, Alexander Alyabjev, Pyotr Yershov, Dmitry Mendeleev, and some other outstanding public figures and exiled Decembrists. The first half of the XX century, full of dramatic events, is presented by a number of historic documents and laconic exhibits. The events of what is going on today will probably be reflected by museum exhibits in future.