A globe arrives to us: exhibits for the "Geography Lessons" exposition reach the National Centre RUSSIA
The new exposition "Geography Lessons" will open at the National Centre RUSSIA on 3 April. The project will show how geography has shaped the country over the course of a millennium, transforming disparate lands into a unified space — a shared home for many peoples, languages and cultures. While the final preparations of the exhibition spaces are underway, the first exhibits have already begun arriving at the National Centre RUSSIA.
Among the first to cross the threshold of the future exposition are treasures from the Polytechnic Museum, one of the oldest science and technology museums in the world and the largest of its kind in Russia.
The construction of a celestial globe created in the USSR in the 1930s–1940s is impressive: a two-tier wooden stand, a metal limb, and an alidade with two perpendicular semicircles. A globe of the Moon was compiled by the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute and the topographic and geodetic service of the USSR using photographs obtained by the Luna-3 spacecraft in 1959 and Zond-3 in 1965. A unique museum object from the 19th century — an achromatic terrestrial telescope of direct vision — provides 25× magnification and still appears as a precise and reliable instrument. The oldest of the arriving exhibits is a brass folding diptych sundial with a compass and thread gnomon, dating back to 1609.
The exposition will feature original antique maps, political and thematic atlases, digital models, globes, as well as maritime and astronomical instruments. Collections have been provided by the Russian State Library, the Russian Geographical Society, archives of the Ministry of Defence, Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography, and other partners.
The "Geography Lessons" exposition will contribute to strengthening the unity of the peoples of our country and civic identity, while preserving ethnocultural and linguistic diversity. The project will demonstrate how a shared territory, common economic interests, unified governance and spiritual values have shaped the cohesive space of the Russian state over centuries.
Eight thematic halls form eight chapters of a large narrative about the lands and borders of Russia, its seas and rivers, infrastructure and natural resources, as well as how the country is seen from the outside and how it positions itself on the world map. The route begins in the entrance gallery of historical maps, where visitors can trace how the contours of the country have changed over time. This is followed by a space dedicated to discoveries and Russian explorers. Next comes the Roads of Russia section — from the earliest trade routes and postal roads to high-speed highways. From the earth, the perspective shifts to the sky: a separate hall is devoted to the exploration of space. A particular highlight of the exposition is the hall of natural resources, for which the country has been known for centuries.
The geography classroom will take visitors back to their school years and recall the first lessons in which a love for the homeland was formed. The journey concludes with a hall dedicated to the defence of borders — how Russia has defended its interests and preserved its sovereignty over the centuries. Here, visitors will also see perspectives on Russia from abroad — through maps and caricatures created outside the country.
The Russian Geographical Society is the general partner of the project. Key partners include the Russian State Library, the State Historical Museum, the Polytechnic Museum, the Faculty of Geography of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography (MIIGAiK), the Federal Archival Agency, the Central Naval Library and other leading institutions. The technology partner is VK. The industry partner is Roscosmos State Corporation. The general information partner is the Vokrug Sveta magazine. Literary partners include AST Publishing House and Eksmo Publishing House.
The "Geography Lessons" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA is designed for families and schoolchildren aged 9–16. Admission is free with prior registration on the website russia.ru.
