Bring your kids to explore the mechanisms!

The renowned and much-loved Polytechnic Museum will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year and will finally reopen its doors after a lengthy renovation. However, its educational activities continue even today.

A recently opened exhibition in St. Petersburg is the second part of a significant project dedicated to the one-and-a-half-century anniversary of the Polytechnic Museum.

The first exhibition, titled “Polytechnic Museum: Approaching the Future,” took place in Moscow during spring and summer and was focused on the museum's history. The current exhibition in St. Petersburg continues this narrative, showcasing the major scientific discoveries made by Russian researchers over the past two centuries, the history of domestic scientific and engineering thought, and the development of the Russian engineering school. Often, original ideas from even lesser-known Russian scientists became global industrial standards.

Installation "Wheel of Progress" by Andrey Chernikhov. Photo: Alexey Butyrin

The exhibition serves as a reminder that we have much to be proud of in the history of our science and that we aspire to take pride in new discoveries that will benefit humanity. Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology and Medicine (1908), the pioneer of immunology, and a scientist studying aging, Ilya Mechnikov wrote: "Man, with the help of science, is capable of correcting the imperfections of his nature."

"I am a Russian man. And I have the right to give all my knowledge, all my work, all my achievements only to my Motherland," thought physicist, electrical engineer, inventor of radio, and, as it turns out, patriot Alexander Popov.

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Engineers must not forget the discoveries of the past — only in this way can they create the present. Photo: Alexey Butyrin

The exhibition is spread across two floors of the exhibition complex, covering an area of 4,000 square meters. It begins with an installation, a kinetic sculpture by architect Andrey Chernikhov, called "Wheel of Progress," symbolizing the industrial revolution "going full steam ahead." The giant structure is an author's fantasy on the theme of early steam engines and anticipates the scientific, technical, and technological progress of our time.

The exhibition also includes over 200 museum items of domestic production, around 1,000 units of scientific auxiliary, replica, and illustrative materials, divided into eight different thematic sections to cater to various interests. It is not only children, teenagers, and youth who may find this interesting, but older generations will also enjoy examining in detail the old, once-advanced technology, models, or prototypes of vehicles, agricultural machinery, construction equipment, aircraft, and submarines. The design and propulsion mechanisms of many items are shown "in section," providing insight into their operational principles. Almost all models are functional, although some are reduced in size compared to the originals.

Here, one can also see the model of the world's first multi-engine civil aviation aircraft, the "Ilya Muromets," from 1914 (designed by Igor Sikorsky), which made the first long-distance flight in human history. The Muromets covered over 1,200 km from St. Petersburg to Kyiv and back. This development is considered the world's first passenger aircraft with a separate comfortable cabin featuring sleeping berths, a toilet, and a bath. This was an unparalleled level of equipment for its time.

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Bionic prosthetics equipped with actuators for fingers. The prosthetic can be controlled manually or via bioelectrical signals. Photo: Alexey Butyrin

The public will surely be intrigued by the aero-sled and glider boat "in one bottle" with an aviation engine at the rear and propellers. This extremely useful machine in the conditions of the Far North allows for easy travel over long distances in winter on snow, and in summer — on water at speeds of 100 km/h. Such performance has been achieved thanks to the high-strength polyethylene hull. In the North, such technology is a necessity when roads can be snowed in, and reaching a destination is imperative, whether for "emergency medical services," mail, or food supplies. By the way, they were developed by Tupolev's design bureau.

The model of the largest helicopter, the V12, is at least astonishing, as this aircraft can carry cranes based on KRAZ trucks inside itself. For better understanding: KRAZ is a truck that is now banned from use on public roads due to its width. This helicopter can accommodate two such giants and is capable of flying with them. Only two of these giant helicopters were built, and both have been preserved.

In short, this is a must-visit for students and families with children to spark their imagination, healthy curiosity, and a desire for experimentation.

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These GAZ-V vehicles are an upgraded version of the famous "one-and-a-half" GAZ-AA with tracked chassis. The series was used for the needs of the Red Army and was deployed in the Finnish campaign and the Great Patriotic War. Photo: Alexey Butyrin

At the opening ceremony of the exhibition, the General Director of the Polytechnic Museum, Dmitry Kozhanov, stated:

“Russia has always gifted the world with outstanding inventors. They created devices and technologies that radically changed the lives of humanity. Electric lamps, radio, passenger airplanes, nuclear power plants, space launch vehicles — these are just a few examples. All the authors of great inventions share an inquisitive mind, the ability to foresee the future, and the courage not to give up in the face of difficulties. Such individuals exist among the new generation as well. We hope that our exhibition will inspire them and help reveal their talents.”

The exhibition is open daily until February 9, 2025, at 1 Isaakievskaya Square, Central Exhibition Hall "Manezh." Ticket prices range from 100 to 500 rubles.