What's On Today

Wonders of the Undersea World

Details: Last Updated on Monday, 14 February 2022 16:52

Although the Ocean covers 70% of Earth we know so little about it… Let’s “dive” into the world, where wonders are waiting for you under the water and nature amazes with its fantasy and inventive power. Packgaus exhibition centre invites you to the undersea world from the eyes of the famous Moscow sculptor Andrey Martz and divers, whose photographs portray sea inhabitants in various corners of the World Ocean.

Andrey Martz (1924–2002) is the author of animal sculptures, the Museum of the World Ocean’s pride. The sculptor knew many participants of expeditions on board the legendary Vityaz and other research vessels; he could watch and study marine life, hence depict their appearance from nature. Andrey Martz’s works create a fascinating sea world in metal. The author caught flexible and smooth lines, keenly noticed all the features, allowing to see a character of every single “model”. Together, sculptures demonstrate an amazing harmony of the underwater world in its all shapes and sizes.

“Extraterrestrial” ‘Barracudas’, ‘Angler fish’, ‘Swordfish’, ‘Leaffish’ and ‘Coelacanth’ – Andrey Martz seems to “bring” for us to the surface the creatures, which only scientists could see before. Underwater photographs made by divers from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belorussia, Sweden, Germany, the Philippines and Thailand in different seas, oceans, rivers and lakes of the planet are striking features of the exhibition. Soaring rays, round dancing fish, “space” jellyfish, grand whales and deadly sharks – one can admire them forever! So diverse works, compiled in one room, show versatile underwater world, so wonderful, amazingly beautiful, charming and dangerous but at the same time vulnerable and demanding our protection.

The exhibition ‘Wonders of the Undersea World’ is on from February 4.

Packgaus exhibition centre, daily 10.00-18.00 (except Tuesday).

‘Ancient Russian Sea’ and ‘Black-and-White Depth’

Details: Last Updated on Monday, 14 February 2022 16:46

The Museum of the World Ocean continues its story about the ancient Earth and its forms of life. Many creatures may seem fantastic as if they have arrived from “extraterrestrial” worlds, however, our exhibitions may bring visitors closer to them. On the present-day territory of Ulyanovsk Oblast, on the right bank of the Volga River, there’s a unique place – the Undoria Geopark. This is a paleontological nature reserve, or a natural site, featuring a continuous chain of geological discoveries, revealing the Jurassic and Cretaceous layers. Cliffs of the Kuybyshev Reservoir demonstrate an amazing history of living beings that used to inhabit the area about 130 million years ago – marine reptiles were dominant in the Russia Sea, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and mosasaurs. The deep-sea and ocean floor was inhabited by numerous mollusks, including belemnites and ammonites. The fossils, discovered on the geopark territory and displayed at the exhibition, can move you dozens of millions of years back.

The exhibition ‘Ancient Russian Sea’ is on until the late March. These were scientists who made a dream come true in the 20 th century – to get into the deep-sea. The R/V Vityaz, which discovered the deepest point in the World Ocean and proved there was life, invites you aboard. From February 24 to late April, the exhibition ‘A Journey to the Seabed’ on board the legendary vessel is supplemented with photographs ‘Black-and-White Depth’. Black-and-white pictures feature diverse depths of the World Ocean, from 40 to 6,000 metres. The photographs were made on the R/V Vityaz and Mikhail Lomonosov at expeditions. This is a display about dark abysses of the world Ocean; it is amazingly stylish and deserves attention.

Jackboot at the Friedrichsburg Gate

Details: Last Updated on Friday, 22 October 2021 10:21

On October 13, one of the most peculiar city sculptures was solemnly handed over to be displayed at the territory of the Friedrichsburg Gate (branch of the Museum of the World Ocean) – the legendary Baron Munchausen’s jackboot. The sculpture was installed in 2014 but then removed for restoration and now it would “settle” at the museum again. Restoration works were performed by the Ornimental Premium company.

“The gate of the Fort Friedrichsburg, built in 1657, is connected with Munchausen with one of the legends: this was here in 1744, when the baron, in Albertina students’ company (in that time there were six students who came from Russia), rehearsed his famous ride on a cannon ball. So, Munchausen himself reached Saint Petersburg but his boot, that slipped off a baron’s foot and was forgotten in the hustle and bustle, remained lying near the cannon”, - museum employees say.

To celebrate the event, Director General Svetlana Sivkova and Maxim Grinevskiy, the head of the company for restoration works, signed a special “grant charter” certifying transference of the sculpture to the Museum of the World Ocean for safekeeping. As well, in honor of participants, guests and the hero of the day, whose spirit is for sure comes to old stomping grounds now and then, the gate constable Serge Michael of Friedrichsburg made a solemn cannon firing.

Moreover, everyone, who comes to the Friedrichsburg Gate, put their foot into the Munchausen’s jackboot and take a photo, will have a fabulous career and a very good luck! We’d like to remind that the Friedrichsburg Gate is an art object in a broad sense. Its history is closely related to the first Russian emperor, Peter the Great. The gate led to the Fort Friedrichsburg, where the young tsar learnt and mastered artillery. Today the territory of the gate houses Ship’s Revival Historical and Cultural Centre. The exhibition is devoted to origin and development of the Russian Navy.

Opening days & hours:
Wednesday-Sunday, 10.00 – 18.00.

Petrine marks in the Kaliningrad Land

Details: Last Updated on Saturday, 19 June 2021 09:23

In 2022, Russia is celebrating the 350th anniversary of the first Russian emperor Peter the Great. We are getting ready for the jubilee events and have already opened a new exhibition at the ‘Ship’s Revival’ historical and cultural centre (Friedrichsburg Gate). In this regard, the Museum of the World Ocean is happy to invite you to ‘The Petrine Marks in the Kaliningrad Land’.

A new project is devoted to Peter the Great’s numerous visits to Prussia: young tsar’s travels on land as well as along inner waterways via the lagoons, rivers and channels. The exhibition gives a deeper understanding of the region’s past, it helps to keep the memory of historic places related to Peter I and brings you closer to the personality of the Russian crown-bearing reformer.

At the exhibition you’ll learn the following:

where the first fireworks, welcoming the Russian monarch to Prussia, were saluted;
where Peter I stayed in Koenigsberg and who was his trusted representative;
what surviving buildings and houses “witnessed” the young tsar;
how Peter spent his time in Koenigsberg and what impressed the future emperor most.

Having studied a huge number of materials, the authors made a very interesting document – a map displaying the young tsar’s travel route in Prussia in different periods. The exhibition features prints (engravings) of towns, castles and
fortresses as well as modern photographs of cultural heritage objects, whi ch witnessed Peter I in this land. Come to the Friedrichsburg Gate and make a real journey along significant Petrinespots in the Kaliningrad Land!

The exhibition is on until late 2022.

Exhibition ‘The Birds of the Baltic. In Harmony with the Water Element’

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 20 May 2021 08:08

They merged into the landscape not to scare off their elegant models. They spent nights in the wood and got up before dawn to capture the hidden from a regular citizen. Patiently, they waited for a right moment, took pictures and then sorted hundreds and hundreds of gigabytes looking for “that very shot”. They are wildlife photographers. The Museum of the World Ocean and the Russian Union of Wildlife Photographers present a new exhibition ‘The Birds of the Baltic. In Harmony with the Water Element’.

The study of avifauna in East Prussia and then in the Kaliningrad region has a history of two hundred years. However, detailed data on diversity of species, as well as the number and habitat of city’s and region’s birds was obtained only throughout last 35 years. We hear birdsongs in parks and forests but, unfortunately, we very often cannot tell which bird sings a certain song and how this bird looks like. Large amount of knowledge is still unavailable for mass readers and spectators. For example, only a few people know that rare and endangered species inhabit the Kaliningrad region.

Our exhibition is one more attempt to make a dialogue between human and nature, draw attention to those we may miss in a daily bustle. At the same time, significance of birds for human and nature is very high since birds are one of the most important biological chain links. The photographs are focused on the birds of the Baltic coast for the shore flora is a favorable habitat for many bird species.

The photographs at the exhibition are the result of patient work by 10 photographers, many of them are members of the Union of Wildlife Photographers of the Kaliningrad Region as well as prize-winners of diverse competitions. The Union takes part in numerous joint projects targeted at promotion of careful attitude to environment. Members of the union regularly hold photo exhibitions, meet to exchange best practices, organize photo expeditions, etc. The new exhibition project is timed for the 75th anniversary of the Kaliningrad region and it shapes a joint platform for interaction among photographers, professional ornithologists and nature fans, including support for joint ideas.
Welcome to the exhibition, come feel the harmony, beauty and elegancy of nature!

The project was prepared with the support of the Sony Centre in Kaliningrad.