Earlier this year, a unique in its peculiarity museum was opened in Novosibirsk, the Siberian capital of Russia. Privately owned, this museum offers an insight into the days long gone, yet longing to be remembered: a collection of the Soviet everyday artifacts; simple things that still matter.

Please welcome our new author Maria Yukhimenko, who has visited this place and and prepared this report exclusively for the realussr readers.

The USSR Museum: the facade.

The museum occupies a 1917 villa and is opened by appointment only. The story goes that a long time ago this building was used as an NKVD headquarters (the KGB predecessor, that is). Well, it certainly feels like it – the atmosphere is gloomy enough: dark rooms, high stud ceilings, squeaky wooden floors.

However, it turns out to have quite a bit of character…

As always, please click on magnifying glass to see in detail.

An Old curiosuty shop indeed!

A TV with an classic clock on it.

The Soviet art deco: a cast iron clock Young couple flirting.

Inside it feels like a treasure chest, with all the impossible relics brought together: from old cameras and typewriters through to crockery, clothes and propaganda posters. Most of the appliances are still in working order, Anna the proud curator  tells me.

Assorted Soviet china

A boy scout with a German sheppard, close up.

The stuff on display does not seem to be categorized in any particular way, nor is it chronological: it is just there, in almost random piles, to be touched and looked at by visitors. Almost each artifact has got a tiny sticker with a price on; unfortunately, apart from the door charges (USD$2), this is the only way for the museum to stay afloat.

Rubber toys, mostly fairy tale characters.

The director of the USSR museum is Idea Lozhkina. Back in the days, propagandistic names were trendy (Firstofmay or Revolutia, and so Idea is one of them). And she was, indeed, struck by an idea of opening a Soviet version of a curiosity shop. “My house was full of old memorabilia, and people liked it, so I though, why not? – says Idea. -  It is very important to create something useful in this life.   Something, which will help to remember those days, otherwise the risk that the stuff will be dumped is very high”.

The interview with the director Idea Lozhkina.

The Museum tries to stay neutral in its political position. Idea says they are not trying  to promote communism or communistic propaganda; they are only trying to keep the memories alive. The younger ones, who come to the museum, do not always know who Lenin was. Nevertheless, the museum has been opened for two months only, and it has been very popular with the public.

Busts of Mao, bronze; Lenin, cast iron. Note which one is taller, this is Made in the USSR for you.

There is a study-like room, which is just asking to be labelled as “Lenin’s study”. His portraits on the walls, communistic flags, a typewriter on the desk, an opened book on Marxism and communism principles… Just next to it there are documents of that era: passports, membership dockets, letters. A guy in the huge portrait on the wall seems almost unrecognizable: young Brezhnev, it turns out. A rare shot.

Young Brezhnev.

Another Soviet toy, a stuffed teddy.

The “Smena” camera (“Change”, no less!) in its glory days made it to the Guinness Record Book as the most popular camera of its days: the sales were skyrocketing!

USSR money: the rouble is yellow, three is green.

At 6 pm after the war, a film of 1944. The IMDB rating is 7.2/10

In the future they intend to open a small cinema to show films of the Soviet era and to allow the older people to socialize and feel a little nostalgic over it. The Museum team also plan to celebrate major Soviet holidays, organize get-together parties, sing old songs and listen to the old music.  “After all, — says Idea, — this place strives to bring people together. Russia is a great and powerful country which I believe in, but Russia was born out of the USSR, and it would not have been possible for Russia to be born without the USSR.  And we are here to praise its legacy, even on such a small scale as every day items”.

Related posts:

1. Experimental Soviet Homemade Photography
2. Funtime with Soviet Playthings
3. The Patriotic Education in USSR. Part 2 — Pioneers, Soviet Boy Scouts