Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local History

The Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local History is one of the oldest in Belarus.

Its history dates back to pre-revolutionary times, when several museums operated in Vitebsk, whose collections later became the basis of the local history museum's funds. However, the appeal of the provincial department of education for the creation of a historical public museum, which was placed in the local newspaper, should be considered the beginning of the creation of the modern museum. Anton Brodovski responded to this appeal and offered his own collection for the creation of the museum. The provincial public education department agreed and appointed Brodovsky as a head of the newly created museum. The collector's items were moved to the former Seminary building (now Polytechnicheskaya ul., 2). Brodovskiy's collection numbered over 10,000 items and was divided by the owner into 40 collections, including the following: archeology, natural history, numismatics, faleristics, stamps, watches, icons, crosses, religious medals, textiles, embroidery, mosaics, incrustations, costume jewellery, paintings, French and Russian enamel, porcelain art images, bronze artwork, manuscripts and Jewish collection.

The premises of the museum were repaired by the end of March 1919, and in May of the same year the museum was opened to the public. Besides the collection of A. In addition to Brodovski's own collection, the museum received a substantial part of the collections of Vatslav Fedorovich, the collections of the Vilna Officers' Society evacuated to Vitebsk, and valuable manuscripts. Many valuable monuments were brought to the Museum from the residences of the wealthy nobility of Vitebsk province. After the death of the famous Vitebsk historian Alexey Sapunov, his archive and personal belongings were transferred to the museum. In 1924 the Vitebsk Province Museum received the status of the branch of the Belarusian State Museum in Vitebsk and moved to the building of the City Hall which was given to it. And in 1928 all branches of the Belarusian State Museum were transformed into the independent economical units with their own budgets. Thus the museum in Vitebsk received the status of the cultural-historical museum. In 1930s the old exposition was disassembled and the creation of the new one began (it was opened in 1938) due to the strengthening of the ideological control and the museum was renamed in the Vitebsk social-historical "with the reflection of the social formations and revolutions".

Hard trials fell to the museum during the Great Patriotic War. Because of the rapid attack of the German troops its funds did not have time to prepare for evacuation. In a very short time, a part of the collection of the Museum was loaded into the carriage together with the funds of the Art Gallery of Yu.M. Pan and sent to Saratov. They did not have time to draw up an exact list of collections to be evacuated. A considerable part of the collection (about 15 thousand objects) remained in Vitebsk, and the majority of these objects disappeared without a trace during the occupation. Shortly after the liberation of the city from the occupants the restoration of the museum began. Already on September, 4th, 1944 the Soviet of People's Commissars of the BSSR approved the decision of the Vitebsk regional Soviet of deputies about the restoration of the activity of the Vitebsk State Historical Museum. The work on the restoration of the Vitebsk Historical Museum was going with great difficulties: the lack of material resources, the shortage of personnel and many other things. But already in July 1945 the first exhibition was opened.

Website of the museum