History Museum of the city of Irkutsk, Irkutskaya oblast, Russia

History Museum of the city of Irkutsk, Irkutskaya oblast, Russia 

The City History Museum of Irkutsk is a relatively lesser-known museum located not far from the Volkonsky Decembrists Museum and the bus station.

The museum gives a rounder picture of the city’s history through its many detailed displays and models, including a section on older history of the region and the findings of past archeological digs. The museum is a great place to learn more in detail about the history of the city. You get to see old photographs of Irkutsk streets and learn more of the history of their name changes, as well as read about the history of Irkutsk’s coat of arms, the city’s triumphal arches, and check out old maps of the entire Baikal region, featuring very different interpretations of its physical layout.

The museum contains a number of detailed models of city buildings both old and new, including the Irkutsk ostrog (fortress), the city’s first churches and the Voznesensky monastery, with information on each of their history and construction.

Epic Russia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound