Read the article about Nikolay Ivanovich Grodekov

Nikolay Ivanovich Grodekov (1843 – 1913)

In 1994 (the year of the 100 years anniversary) the Khabarovsk Regional Lore Museum got back the name of N.I. Grodekov, the Honored Citizen of Khabarovsk, the first Head of PDIRGS, the Governor-General of the Amur Territory, the explorer and the active creator of the museum reserves.

The forming of the Khabarovsk Local Lore Museum is closely connected with the name of the first Head of the Priamursky department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (PDIRGS) Governor-General N. I. Grodekov.

Thanks to his vast knowledge, energy, "ardent love to the museum study" the library and the museum with natural-historical and art collections were established by the Priamursky department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (PDIRGS). From 1902 till 1922 the museum had the name of N.I. Grodekov the "true leader and inspirer" of the museum study in the Russian Far East.

The Museum was opened on the initiative of the Priamursky department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (PDIRGS) on April 19, 1894. By the beginning of the 20^th century the Grodekov’s Museum "attracted the attention of all donators" in Khabarovsk and became the head museum in the Priamursky Territory.

A stone tortoise, brought from the settlement of Nikolskoye (Ussurijsk) and weighting 6,4 tons, was set up at the museum. Grodekov presented the museum a collection of postage stamps and stuffed birds from the Phillippines.

A lot of other exhibits were brought by the residents of Khabarovsk.

On August 1, 1900 the Museum was opened. Its collections were exposed in Russian and international exhibitions in Novgorod, Kazan, Chicago and Paris. V.K. Arsenyev, the famous traveller, scientist and writer, the important museum figure, was the head of the Museum for more than 10 years (1910-1919 and 1924-1925).

For that period of time the Museum has become the centre of lore studies in the Far East. In 2000 the N.I. Grodekov Khabarovsk Regional Lore Museum got the status of the scientific institution and the title "The best museum of the year 2000". The museum is a member of the Russian Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

Nowadays the Museum reserves include more than 328.438 thousand items. Many of them are exposed in its 12 sections. Annually the museum is visited by 180.000 people. More than 2500 excursions, lectures and lessons are given here. 9 moving exhibitions are displayed in the Museum and in other cultural-educational institutions of the city.