• Krasnoyarsk modern-art museum on Strelka
• Krasnoyarsk regional ethnographic museum
• Steamship "St. Nikolay"
• Manor of Vasily Surikov
• Krasnoyarsk Surikov art gallery
• Ovsyanka village

The Krasnoyarsk modern-art museum on Strelka

The Krasnoyarsk museum center on Strelka is situated on the place of Krasnoyarsk stockaded town of XVII century.
Nowadays Krasnoyarsk is famous all over the world due to museum biennales and a unique idea of the museum staff. In 1998 the Museum center was awarded by a Special prize of the European Soviet in Strasburg "For the contribution of the European idea development".
The only one in the world contest of museum expositions in the Krasnoyarsk cultural-historical and museum complex on Strelka accept museum representatives, photographers, artists, architects and designers from Russia and other countries. The success of the biennale was mainly provided by the artists, many museum exhibitions look pale when compared to the bright art projects. There are also discussions of well known museum specialists, cultural workers and managers in the sphere of culture except the contest of expositions.

The museum biennales is a real stimulus for development of all Russian museums. As for local museums this is a unique platform for getting professional estimation of their work. Every biennale gives something new to the architectural look of the museum: in 1997 the museum got "the lighting eyes", in 1999 - "the mouth", in 2001 the museum turned into a rhino. The V biennale's peculiarity was a public opening of the Museum night. The museum biennale is always a bright, unforgettable holiday for Krasnoyarsk citizens, an event both of the visual and musical culture: the exposition is usually accompanied by exclusive folk and rock bands. The result of the 3 ^rd biennale was a CD "The sounds of the Peace square". There are always not less than 50 mass media representatives including foreign companies accredited on every biennale.
Continuing the traditions of Venetian biennales (appeared in 1895), the 1 ^st Krasnoyarsk world museums festivals with a topic "Future and past in a museum" gathered more than 100 participants from Russian cities, from Great Britain, Germany, France, Sweden, Japan in December 1995. The 2 ^nd festival "The open museum: Urbi et orbi", which was held in September 1997 took more than 200 Russian and foreign participants.
The programs of each biennale are original and interesting. Every program is devoted to a special topic: "The museums of the world on Mira square", "The art of memory", "A fiction of history", "Moving the values - the value of moving" etc.

Krasnoyarsk has become the museum capital not only of Russia, but of the whole Europe, because the most bold and extravagant ideas are born exactly there.

The Krasnoyarsk regional ethnographic museum

The Krasnoyarsk regional museum was founded in Yeniseiskaya province on the initiative of Matveevy family.

Nowadays the museum is a valuable object of a regional importance. It possesses one of the largest collections in Russia approximately 450 000 exhibits. The main source of the collection's enrichment is gifts. People who make gifts are presented with an honorable diploma. One of the latest gifts is a collection of the city mayor Smirnov in 1910-1914.

In 2007 the museum got a big number of grants including the 4 ^th grant of the President of the Russian Federation. The Krasnoyarsk regional museum represents the city and the region on different international conferences, publishes the articles in Russian magazines, issues interesting books, and organizes research expeditions. But the most important activity of the museum is exhibition work.
In 2001 the museum celebrated its 112 ^th anniversary. This year the museum was opened after a long reconstructive period. It presented an amazing exposition made according to the best world traditions and high technologies which was dedicated to the region's life, mutual influence of cultures, its religious beliefs, priorities of spiritual life and sacrifice. The new content of the museum's halls is highly appreciated by Russian and foreign museum workers.
The topic of contemporary exhibitions reflects important events of the region.The exhibition "Territory and power" which is dedicated to the 185 ^th anniversary of Yeniseiskaya province and reunion of Krasnoyarsk region shows the influence of administrative reforms on the region's development, the positive effect of uniting process in the history of Siberia and Russia from 1822 to 2007.One of the most important events of the museum's life in recent years was the exhibition named "Daily socialism or Made in USSR". It showed the day to day life of common soviet people in 50-70ies of the XX century. The exposition evokes nostalgia and interest, makes you think about soviet history in another way. Virtual exhibitions have become a common museum genre for Krasnoyarsk citizens and guests of the city.
In 2007 the Krasnoyarsk regional museum launched several new worth visiting exhibitions.

The steamship St. Nikolay

The steamship "St. Nikolay" is situated not far from the river station of Krasnoyarsk.

This legendary steamship was made in 1887 in Tymen town according to the order of the Siberian manufacturer and ship-owner A. Sibiryakov for working on Yenisei and Angara rivers. It had the reputation of the fastest steamship on Yenisei river. In 1891 the tsar Nikolay made a short voyage on the steamship on his way back from the East. In 1897 Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) traveled from Krasnoyarsk to Shushenskoe village on this ship.

Later the steamship worked on Yenisei for a long time as a cargo oil barge.

In 1970 the steamship was fully restored. Nowadays it is an interesting museum on water. There is an exposition dedicated to Vladimir Lenin's exile in Siberia, "Commander Rezanov" and "The last tsar of Russia" exhibitions.

The manor of Vasily Surikov

Since 1948 the workers of the museum have been gradually creating the atmosphere of amazing quietness, divinity, Russian customs and life of XIX century - a house, a barn, an outbuilding, a wooden pavement, a high fence. Today the manor is part of a living history of Krasnoyarsk city.

When the visitors of the museum open the old wooden gates and enter a provincial city of XIX century, they are met by the artist who came out of the house.

The great Russian artist Vasily Surikov was born in the house on Lenina street. The first 20 years of the artist's life are closely connected with the manor. In winter 1868 Surikov went to the Academy of arts in Saint Petersburg from this house. Later when he became a famous artist Surikov came here many times during summer time. After the death of his wife Vasily Surikov planned to live here with his children. Last time the manor was visited by the artist 2 years before he died, in 1914.

The Siberian Cossack manor was built in 1830 by the grandfather of Vasily Surikov. The 2-storeyed wooden house is made from larch without a single nail. It was never reconstructed, the house now has the original look: the main, back entrances are situated under the terrace in the yard, only the outer part of the house looks on the street. There is also a small garden which the family all necessary vegetables. You can see there old birches which were planted during the artist's life. There are portraits, landscapes and etudes in the workshop of the master. The main exposition of the museum is situated in the 10 rooms of the house.

The whole Krasnoyarsk collection includes 100 masterpieces of our countryman. It reflects all periods of Vasily Surikov's life and all sides of his art.The museum's life is closely connected with a writer Natalia Petrovna Konchalovskaya, the granddaughter of the artist. The children of Natalia Konchalovskaya Andron and Nikita Mihalkov are famous movie directors now.The loved granddaughter took active part in the destiny of the museum - its development, funds and restore works. The children and grandchildren of the artist presented to the museum Surikov's personal belongings, his paints, hat, palette, and of course his paintings.

The Krasnoyarsk Surikov art gallery

The Krasnoyarsk Surikov museum possesses a great collection of the famous Krasnoyarsk artist. The collection includes 78 paintings which represent his artistic work of early and late periods.
There you will be able to see the first independent painting "The view of Peter the Great monument on Senat square", "Boat on the water", "Anfisa's portrait", "The portrait of A.N. Tretyakova", "Baidarskie gates" and others.There are approximately 9 000 objects in the fund of the museum: icons which date back to XVII-XIX centuries, Russian, soviet and foreign paintings, graphic works, sculpture, Russian avant-garde works.The collection of Surikov museum grew up to 4000 objects during the latest years due to various gifts.There are approximately 25 exhibitions held annually in the museum. Among them there are funds from China, Norway, Poland, Holland, Armenia. The museum's exhibitions abroad are also very popular, especially avant-garde works.There is a good tradition to held "Surikovskie readings" once in 2 years.

Ovsyanka village and the museum of Viktor Astafiev

The memorial complex in Ovsyanka includes the museum of Viktor Petrovitch Astafyev, the house of his grandmother Ekaterina Potylitsyna and the chapel.

The house is situated on Shetinkina street where he lived from 1980 until 2001 and where he wrote "The sad detective", numerous novels, "Merry soldier", "Oberton", "I want to live so much" and others. Nowadays there is a memorial complex of world importance here, which is devoted to the life and art of a famous writer.

The founders of the complex tried to create the old way of life in Ovsyanka. The museum of Astafyev which was reconstructed in 2004 has the same look as during the writer's lifetime. There is a bronze sculpture near the cedars and apple trees: the writer sits on a bench with his wife Maria Semenovna.

There is also another piece of old life in the museum - the house of the grandmother Ekaterina. The constructors made the exact copy of the house according to old techniques. Everything is full of life here. There are firewood, the favorite banya of the writer, hens etc.

The writer was under 7 years old when he began to live with his grandmother Ekaterina Petrovna Potylitsyna. The tenderest book of Astafyev "The last bow" is devoted to his childhood.

Although the original things of Potylitsyny family are few here, the house entourage is made according to the novel "The last bow". The stairs has exactly 28 steps. There is a famous sawing machine "Zinger" on the table, a photo of the grandmother and the grandfather on the main wall. Home made rugs, lace serviettes, blankets made from bright parts really warms. The granddaughter of Ekaterina Petrovna, the cousin of Viktor Petrovich Astafyev Galina Potylitsyna is the director of the museum complex.

Viktor Astafyev was always the centre of spiritual powers of Russia. The meetings of writers and poets named "Astafyevskie readings" are held in Ovsyanka village.

The museum staff also plans to organize a youth complex with an internet club, a conference hall and a living room for holding literature and scientific conferences.

The chapel on the territory of the museum was built on the initiative of the writer. It was opened in 1998. The chapel is named after Saint Innokentiy Irkutsky, who greatly influenced the spiritual life of the Eastern Siberia.