The Museum of the Black Sea Fleet is one of the obligatory points of the tourism program in Crimea. It is filled with interesting exhibits telling the heroic history of the fleet during a difficult period for Russia - from the end of the 19th century to the present day.
History of the foundation of the museum
In 1869, the Museum of the History of the Black Sea Fleet was opened. Sevastopol became the place of its location not by chance. The museum was allocated not just a building, but the house of the general and military engineer E.I. Totleben, who, incidentally, was the initiator of the exhibition. Initially, it was supposed to be a museum of Sevastopol defense. Its participants deposited their personal belongings, awards, trophies and documents. Opening required money, they were collected through local newspapers and societies. Soon, thanks to donations, we managed to raise 12 thousand rubles - a sufficient amount for organizing the exhibition.
A few months after its opening, Emperor Alexander II granted the museum an estate of almost 2 thousand acres in the Tauride province. It brought an income of 2.5 thousand rubles a year, for which the museum existed and developed. The same money contained a shelter, a school and craft workshops open at the museum.
Later, right in front of the original building, a new one was built, in a monumental classical style with massive cast-iron details that still impress today. There is also a special sign on the facade - a cross and numbers 349, according to the number of defense days that Sevastopol survived.
The Museum of the Black Sea Fleet soon moved to a new building, simultaneously expanding its content. It became not only a museum of a historical event, but also became a large collection of objects telling about the history of the fleet.
During the Second World War, in connection with the particularly fierce hostilities in Sevastopol, the most valuable specimens were evacuated first to Baku and then to Ulyanovsk, but after the war ended everything returned to its place. True, the exhibits were temporarily exhibited in an art gallery, since the building of the military museum was damaged by bombing and required reconstruction. However, the museum soon reopened its doors - already in peacetime.
Contemporary exhibition (Sevastopol)
The Museum of the Black Sea Fleet today consists of 8 exhibition halls. 7 of them are in the main building, built in 1895. The exposition reflects the entire long history of the fleet, starting from the moment of its creation and ending with the present. For all the difficult years of Russian and Soviet history, the museum continued to scrupulously collect objects testifying to the valor of the Russian army and navy. So, after the Great October Revolution, many soldiers from all over Russia passed various documents and objects. During the days of World War II, bloodied documents and the personal items of fallen soldiers pierced by shells and bullets were carried directly to the Museum of the Black Sea Fleet.
Sevastopol also has such interesting exhibits (and a total of 30 thousand), as the personal belongings of the military leaders who led the defense. These are the legendary admirals V.A. Kornilov and P.S. Nakhimov (spyglass, personal chair, epaulettes), the founder of the museum, General Totleben (for example, an award sword for courage), there are also awards of the outstanding admiral M.P. Lazarev. Many military trophies are stored here, for example, Turkish sabers and even broadsword of the Turkish commander-in-chief Osman Pasha, as well as a dirk of the German admiral. Most of the exposition consists of ship models and weapons of different eras - guns, mortars, daggers. A very interesting exhibition dedicated to navigational instruments, where there are astrolabes, and sextants, and telescopes. And a lot of options for uniforms, starting from the 19th century and ending with modern periods, showcases the Museum of the Black Sea Fleet.
Sevastopol has experienced difficult military times more than once. The spirit and heroism of his defenders are also conveyed by paintings - genuine masterpieces of the painting by panorama painter Franz Roubaud (for example, his grandiose panorama “Defense of Sevastopol” 10 meters long), marine painter Ivan Aivazovsky and drawings from nature by V. Timm.
All exhibits are divided into thematic halls - there is a hall dedicated to the defense of the city of Sevastopol. The Museum of the Black Sea Fleet also has halls illuminating the role of the fleet in the Great Patriotic War, where there are many German trophies, weapons, medals and various documents of that era.
But not only inside the museum there is something to look at. Outside, several exhibits are also placed, for example, an early twentieth-century bombardment, anchors, guns, and the building’s facade is decorated with voluminous monumental sculptures depicting the protruding bow and rear stern of the ship.
It is noteworthy that the Military History Museum of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol is included in the catalog of similar museums in the world and is also a member of ICOM, that is, the International Council of Museums.
Excursions and exhibits outside the main building
In the building of the former Mikhailovskaya church built in 1848, not far from the main building, there is the eighth hall of the museum’s permanent exhibition - it tells about the life and development of the Russian fleet after the Second World War. There are also a large number of interesting exhibits - machine telegraphs, mines, torpedoes, documents and attributes of the Navy of the Stalin era, and much more.
Also, by prior arrangement, for large groups, an excursion to the real working ship of the Black Sea Fleet can be organized.
Mode of operation
In Sevastopol, the Museum of the Black Sea Fleet is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., but the ticket office is open until 4 p.m. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday. Please note that the last Friday of each month is a sanitary day, the museum is closed.
Price
The cost of visiting the exposition is quite small: an adult ticket costs 100 rubles, a child ticket costs only 50. You will have to pay extra for photography, but only 60 rubles.
