The Ryazan Kremlin (the Ryazan Historical and Architectural Museum Reserve) is one of the oldest museums in Russia. It was established on June 15, 1884. That day, the Provincial Scientific Archival Commission of the Province decided to create a historical museum. Its first exhibit was the 18th-century Icon of SS. Martyrs Florus and Laurus that was donated by Colonel A. Marin.
In 1890, the Museum, which was situated in a public building, was opened for visitors for the first time. Museum collections numbered more than 11,000 items.
In 1918, the Provincial Department of Public Education decided to combine nationalized museums such as the Historical and Archaeological Museum of the Scientific Archival Commission, the City Art Gallery of Ivan Pozhalostin, the Handicraft Museum of the Provincial Country Council, the Diocesan Archives, and the Museum of the Nezhyn and Bolkhov Regiments, as well as private collections, arrivals from former estates of noble families, churches and monasteries and establish the Provincial Historical and Art Museum.
In 1922, the significantly completed museum was given a new spacious facility, the Oleg's Palace, where a unique ensemble of civil and church architectural monuments dated back to the15th to 19th centuries has preserved.
In 1923, an exposition of the Historical and Art Museum was opened. At that time, such specialists as archaeographer S. Yakhontov, archaelogists V. Gorodtsov, A. Mansurov, art historian G. Wagner, ethnographers N. Lebedeva and M. Malinina worked there.
In 1937, the Museum was separated into two individual departments: the Museum of Regional Studies and the Art Museum. Before 1980, the Art Museum occupied the Consistory Building. Then it moved to Svoboda Street. The Museum of Regional Studies enlarged its exposition in the Oleg's Palace.
In the 1950s, scientific restoration of the museum architectural monuments and their further museumification according to the design of the main architect of the Museum Reserve I. Ilienko started.
In 1968, the Ministry of Culture issued a decree to turn the Museum of Regional Studies and the complex of Kremlin monuments into Historical and Architectural Museum Reserve. The Museum also consisted of the Historical and Archaeological Complex Old Ryazan City, the Historical and Architectural Ensemble of the Solotchinsky Convent, the Church of the Saviour in Yar, and ten branches in the neighbourhood centres and settlements that became independent in 1990.
In 1993–1995, the Solotchinsky Convent, the Church of the Saviour in Yar, and the Noble Hotel were placed under the supervision of Ryazan Diocese.
Currently, the Museum Reserve has 26 historical and cultural monuments (in the area of 26.5 ha) of exclusive historical, architectural, and art value.
On December 6, 1995, the President of the Russian Federation decreed (Decree No. 1219) that Ryazan Museum Reserve should be listed in the State Register of High Value Cultural Objects of the Russian Federation. Since 1998, the Museum is in the federation's charge.
Chronicle of the main events.
1884 — foundation of the museum and the first studies of antiquities;
1890 — the museum is opened for visitors;
1918 — merger of four museums and private collections and foundation of the Provincial Historical and Art Museum;
1923 — transfer of the museum collection to the Kremlin, the Oleg's Palace;
1929–1937 — the Museum is named Main Middle Oksky Museum;
1937 — transformation of the Museum into the Museum of Regional Studies and the independent Art Museum;
1950 — scientific restoration of the Kremlin architectural monuments;
1964 — a planetarium and collections of this and other museums are temporarily exhibited in the Dormition Cathedral; a scientific library is opened in the Church of the Holy Spirit;
1965 — establishment of the branch Museum of Sergey Yesenin (independent museum in Konstantinovo Village since 1970);
1968 — transformation into the History and Architecture Museum Reserve;
1974 — landscaping of the Kremlin area;
1980 — the Art Museum moves out of the Consistory Building;
1982 — the first exhibition in the Cathedral of the Archangel (after the reconstruction);
1983 — a hip-roofed porch of the Singing Building is reconstructed; the Oleg's Palace is closed for reconstruction;
1985 — a hip-roofed porch of the Consistory Building is reconstructed; an exposition in the Singing Building is opened (after the reconstruction);
1986 — an exposition in the Rabble Hotel is opened (after the reconstruction);
1991 — complex examination of the historical area of the Kremlin;
1992 — establishment of the Scientific and Methodological Centre on Complex Examination and Preservation of Historical Areas of Museum Reserves; a Bell Tower's viewing point is opened (after the reconstruction);
1993 — church services in the Dormition Cathedral are resumed; an exposition in the Consistory Building is opened (after the reconstruction);
1994 — the Clergy House is reconstructed;
1995 — a second storey exposition in the Oleg's Palace is opened (after the reconstruction); the Museum is listed in the State Register of High Value Cultural Objects of the Russian Federation; the Noble Hotel is placed under the supervision of Ryazan Diocese;
1998 — the Museum is in the federation's charge;
2001 — the Dormition Cathedral's basement is opened (after the reconstruction); the Horse Stable and the Coach House are reconstructed;
2002 — after the State Ryazan Archieves moves out, church services in the Nativity Cathedral are resumed.
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The second ver...
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