Kaluga is a real space city. A unique complex dedicated to the history of astronautics is built here. Incidentally, the first stone in its foundation was laid in 1961 by Yuri Gagarin.
But the space museum appeared in Kaluga not by chance. The first museum object was the Tsiolkovsky house-museum; in Kaluga, the scientist spent most of his life. Now it is a biographical department, here you can see the conditions in which a well-known thinker, dreamer and philosopher lived, thought up and looked into the future.
Tsiolkovsky and Kaluga
The city did not immediately become a home for Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. He was born in s. Izhevsk, Ryazan province. I practically didn’t get education, but I managed to pass an external exam and got the right to teach at school. Tsiolkovsky went to work in Borovsk. He taught geometry and arithmetic, set up experiments. He lived in Borovsk for 12 years.
A scientist with his family (wife and 4 daughters) came to Kaluga in 1892 - Tsiolkovsky was transferred to work in a county school. In this city he will remain until the end of his life, until 1935. It is here that he will write his main works.
The small building, which subsequently becomes the house-museum of K.E. Tsiolkovsky in Kaluga, the scientist acquired in 1904.
The fate of the memorial house
Almost a third of a century Tsiolkovsky lived in a house located on a small hill next to the rivers Yachenka and Oka. In 1904 it was an urban outskirts, and the wooden house looked different. It was very small, one-story, and consisted of 1 living room.
After 4 years in the spring in Kaluga, a severe flood occurred, water reached the Tsiolkovsky's house and flooded it. The neighbors let the family live, and the owner stayed in the attic, protecting books, devices, manuscripts.
When the water subsided, it became obvious that repairs were needed. At the same time, the house was expanded by adding a second floor and a veranda, and a barn was built in the courtyard. Konstantin Eduardovich adapted these rooms for an office and a workshop.
In 1933, the Kaluga City Council evaluated the scientist's activity and presented him with a new house located on the same street, only at number 1. This was considered an elite housing. Tsiolkovsky took advantage of the gift, but every day he came to work in the old house. For this, he used another gift from the City Council - a bicycle.
Just a year after the scientist’s death, the wooden house turned into the Tsiolkovsky Museum in Kaluga.
Where did the museum begin?
Since 1936, people reached into the house of Konstantin Eduardovich, they were introduced to the work of a scientist, writer, thinker.
In 1941, Kaluga was occupied. On the eve of the most important and expensive exhibits were taken out, but did not manage to save everyone. German soldiers standing at a stand in the scientist’s house destroyed many of the remaining photographs, books, and personal items.
The restoration of the house-museum began as soon as Kaluga was liberated from enemy troops in 1942.
In 1957, rocket scientist S.P. Korolev proposed organizing an exposition that would connect the past with the present and tell how K. Tsiolkovsky’s dreams and ideas are realized.
After 10 years, the State Museum dedicated to the history of astronautics was opened in the city. Of course, he received the name of a man who had lived in Kaluga for many years.
The scientist’s house becomes a museum branch.
The building was dilapidated, and in 1968 architects T. Dmitrikova, G. Bilibina, V. Kazakevich carried out a set of restoration work, restored the original interiors and courtyards. Tsiolkovsky’s house-museum in Kaluga was already opened as a biographical museum, now it meets visitors with a monument made to the famous scientist made of white stone.
Museum collections
All items placed in the windows are genuine and belonged to the personal Konstantin Eduardovich and his family. The museum funds more than 70 thousand units. The most valuable items are related to the life and work of the scientist:
- Book collection. It includes the print media that Tsiolkovsky personally collected since 1973, these are rare old books on issues that the scientist was interested in - aviation, aeronautics, and astronautics. Here are modern books autographed by authors - designers, astronauts. In addition, the collection includes publications of the scientist’s own works, most of which he published at his own expense in small runs in 2000 copies.
- Newspaper collection. Covers the period 1926-1999. The publications highlight the life and work of K. Tsiolkovsky. The most valuable part of the collection is newspapers in which articles by Tsiolkovsky himself are printed.
- Photo Documents. It represents more than 18 thousand negatives and positives. Especially valuable in the Tsiolkovsky house-museum are photos that depict K. Tsiolkovsky or photographs taken by him personally. These photo documents cover the period 1863-1935. Also preserved are several photographs in which the scientist signed autographs.
- Collection of greeting cards. Postcards that were sent to Tsiolkovsky from Germany have been preserved, they depict German rockets of the 1930 model. Great rarity - postcards with views of Kaluga.
The museum has collections of stamps, coins, and works of art.
Walk through the halls
From the street, visitors enter the courtyard of the museum house, where neat paths are laid between the overgrown flower beds. The woodpile and well remember Tsiolkovsky himself, but the small panel house in which the museum administration is located is a gift from S. Korolev. Previously, the house stood on Baikonur.
And now visitors climb the stairs to a small wooden house.
On the ground floor in the hallway there is a souvenir shop, there is also a model of the Tsiolkovsky house-museum in Kaluga. Photos are usually taken, climbing stairs to the 2nd floor.
But first, on the 1st floor, they inspect the living rooms, where rarities are preserved - genuine things that belonged to the Tsiolkovsky family. In the living room there is a piano and harmonium, chairs. In the study - an old desk, which housed instruments and equipment, layouts and drawings.
The kitchen, stuffed with utensils, gives the impression of being inhabited, as if the owners had just left.
On a narrow staircase, visitors climb to the 2nd floor, in the annex. In the attic, a bedroom was made for Tsiolkovsky, his workshop was also arranged here. On the table are a clock, glasses, a pen, there is a bottle of ink - these items were saved despite everything.
A set of carpentry and locksmith tools has been preserved, some of which Konstantin Eduardovich personally made or modified. The workshop has corrugation and lathes. The workshop presents models that demonstrate the scientific and technical inventions of Tsiolkovsky: models of airplanes, airships, wind tunnels.
From the workshop you can get out onto the roof and watch the stars - for this, Tsiolkovsky installed a telescope on the roof.
“Hearing aids” are placed throughout the house — pipes that allowed Tsiolkovsky, who had hearing problems, to listen to what they were talking about. The scientist himself made these tin pipes.
Exhibition and educational activities
The Tsiolkovsky Museum (Kaluga) lives a vibrant, vibrant life, helping people to take a fresh look at the sky and stars. This is facilitated by thematic lectures (there are about 30 of them), designed specifically for students of different ages. The cycle "The ABC of Cosmonautics" acquaints children with the technology that is used in space, with the natural phenomena that Tsiolkovsky drew attention to, and the secrets of the cosmonaut profession.
Tsiolkovsky's house-museum lives up to date, master classes, educational programs and seminars are held here.
Themed festivals called the “Cosmic Events Festival” and scientific readings are traditionally held.
Tsiolkovsky Museum in Kaluga: interesting facts
- It is believed that K.E. Tsiolkovsky met the famous rocket engineer S.P. Korolev in Kaluga, a monument was even erected on this site. However, in reality there was no such meeting.
- One of the most valuable items in the museum’s collection is Tsiolkovsky’s hat. He always put on a black bowler hat when leaving the house.
- There are skates in the collection, on which Tsiolkovsky rode, using an umbrella to increase speed, and sleds, to which the sail was attached.
- Books, drawings and models of Tsiolkovsky repeatedly burned, died in floods. Each time, the scientist restored the library.
- At his own expense, Tsiolkovsky performed more than a hundred models.
- The museum’s collection contains many gifts from modern astronauts.
- Cosmonaut A. Leonov called the staircase leading to the 2nd floor “a door to space”.
- The museum keeps the correspondence of K. Tsiolkovsky with the poet N. Zabolotsky.
Cost of visiting
For pensioners and students, a ticket will cost 120 rubles, for other visitors - 170 rubles. Children under 16 visit Tsiolkovsky's house-museum in Kaluga for free.
Additionally paid:
- excursion service - for adults 250 rubles, for pensioners / students / students - 150 rubles, for preschoolers - 50 rubles;
- museum programs - students, adults, students, senior citizens of 100 p., preschoolers 50 p.;
- rent an audio guide - 250 r.;
- If you intend to take photos in the Tsiolkovsky house-museum, you must pay 200 r.
How to get to the Tsiolkovsky Museum?
The Tsiolkovsky house-museum is located in Kaluga at the address: 79 Tsiolkovsky street.
From any region of Kaluga you can trolleybus number 1, 3, minibus number 71 to get to a stop called Park them. Tsiolkovsky ”, then walk 200 m along the street. Queen and turn right onto st. Tsiolkovsky.
You can get a minibus number 73 to the stop. "Hospital No. 5" or No. 75 to the stop. "Komarova Street", in both cases, the museum will have to walk 300-500 m.
