The Treasury of the National Centre RUSSIA opens a new chapter in history to mark SBER’s 185th anniversary
What lies behind familiar items such as savings books, money boxes and cash registers? And how has trust between bankers, the state and citizens evolved over the decades? These are just some of the questions explored in a new exposition at the "Treasury", a project of the National Centre RUSSIA. The mini-exposition marks the 185th anniversary of SBER, one of the country's oldest financial institutions, and features items from the bank's museum collection.
The new "Treasury" exposition is divided into three sections. The first, "Personal Treasures", reminds visitors that behind every money box lies someone's dream. It features wallets, coin purses, money bags and special household money boxes whose keys were kept at the savings bank.
The second section, "The State", traces the establishment of savings banks and the development of trust in banking. Visitors can learn why SBER considers 12 November 1841 its founding date and why the pelican became the symbol of savings banks.
The third section, "The Profession", explores the art of safeguarding
finances. Writing sets, fountain pens, blotting paper, stationery and
typewriters offer a glimpse into the daily work of those who safeguarded
depositors' assets for decades.
The exhibits include objects with a long history. These include a paper clip manufactured at the Kasli Iron Foundry in the 19th century; an elegant 1884 Hammond typewriter with interchangeable shuttles for different alphabets; a 1914 report on the activities of savings banks, distinguished by its high-quality printing; and an Art Nouveau National Cash Register from 1897, which produced the famous "Ritty's cashier bell" sound with every transaction. Another story featured in the exposition is that of Nikolai Kristofari, the first customer of a savings bank. Two centuries later, his name was given to a powerful supercomputer, and SBER became the only bank in the world to erect a monument to its first depositor.
SBER traces its history back to 1841 and celebrates its 185th anniversary in
2026. The bank's museum collection began to take shape in the late 1990s, and
its modern museum space opened in 2011 to mark the company's 170th anniversary.
Today, the museum brings together expositions in St Petersburg, Moscow, Irkutsk,
Stavropol and Voronezh. Its collection comprises around 10,000 exhibits, and the museum was among the
first in Russia to introduce multimedia solutions into its exposition spaces.
It also organises and participates in display projects with leading Russian
institutions, including Gokhran of Russia, the Polytechnic Museum, the Russian
State Library, the State Museum of Vladimir Mayakovsky and others.
The "Treasury" is a special project of the National Centre RUSSIA showcasing unique exhibits from the collections of the country's leading museums. Its main aim is to promote museums and the museum collections of the Russian Federation, which preserve artefacts of significance to world cultural history. Through compact, themed displays, the project introduces visitors to a wide range of subjects, from history and art to science, technology, ethnography and traditional crafts. The "Treasury" display cases are located in the West Hall of the National Centre RUSSIA.
The SBER Museum exposition will be open until 29 November 2026. Admission is
free, and visitors can also use an audio guide. Everyone is welcome to discover
the history of personal savings first-hand.
21 October is Youth Day at the "Russia – Country of Sports" Forum.
On 20 October, audiences at the historical Lecture Hall of the National Centre RUSSIA had the opportunity to learn more about the history and development of the metro.
The original club of the National Centre RUSSIA, "What to Read?!," is created for those who see in books the key to personal development and to understanding the past, present, and future.
