Historical Museum
The Historical museum in Vladimir was founded in 1862 and was originally housed in the provincial male gymnasium. A separate building was constructed only in 1900-1906. Vladimir provincial architect P.G. Begen created a beautiful mansion in pseudo-Russian style made of red brick, decorated with ancient tiles of Gorokhovets masters. The two-story building with a high four-pitched roof has the shape of a huge casket with jewelry – the secrets of the history of Vladimir land, which can be revealed by the visitors of the museum.
The Historical museum forms a part of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve. The exposition gives visitors a chance to trace for two or three hours all historical steps from the appearance of ancient people on Vladimir land (which is proved with the archeological findings made at the Upper Paleolithic site of Sungir) to the rise of the revolutionary mood of the population at the beginning of the 20th century.
On the first floor of the museum, traditional crafts and products of industrial enterprises of the pre-revolutionary Vladimir province are presented. In the exposition one can see famous Baranovs’ chintz, which was produced in the second half of the 19th century at the Troitsko-Aleksandrov manufactory of Baranovs, glass samples of Maltzov factories in Gus-Khrustalny, non-ferrous metal products of the Kolchugin plant and others. The works of art made by icon painters of the late 18th century can be called a real treasure. One of the expositions is dedicated to the history and creative work of the Vladimir horn-players choir led by N.V. Kondratyev.