Omsk State Museum of History and Local Lore, Regional history museum in Omsk, Russia.
The Omsk State Museum of History and Local Lore is a regional museum in Omsk, Russia, founded in 1878 and one of the oldest museums in Siberia. Its holdings numbered 235,000 items in 2013, including 207,000 in the main funds. The museum occupies a modern building begun in the early 1970s and serves as a venue for exhibitions from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tobolsk and other cities.
The museum was founded in 1878, originally as a research center collecting materials on the geography and native peoples of western Siberia. Over the following decades it grew into one of the main institutions for the history of the region.
The museum displays everyday objects, clothing, and tools belonging to the many peoples of western Siberia, from indigenous groups to Russian settlers. Walking through the rooms gives a concrete picture of how different life was across this region.
A visit works best when staff members are present, as they can help with orientation and answer questions about the collections. Since the exhibitions cover several floors, it is worth setting aside enough time to go through them without rushing.
The museum holds a research archive with thousands of photographs of Siberian daily life from the 19th century onward, most of which are not on display in the public galleries. Visitors with a special interest in this material can ask staff about access to the archive.
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