Dress up warm and dust off your snow boots, you’re going on an expedition! The Russian State Arctic and Antarctica museum was founded in 1930 as part of the Soviet Arctic and Antarctica Institute. Situated in Avraam Melnikov’s Church, it is currently the largest museum dedicated to polar exploration in the world.
The first floor of the museum will guide you through various exhibitions related to the icy landscapes of Antarctica. Various scale models of famous Russian atomic ice breakers decorate the rooms, accompanied by official documents, pieces of machinery and emblems. Full-sized replicas of Russian tents, hovels and equipment show how it is possible for researchers to survive under such harsh conditions. The museum also showcases some of the most impressive mounted animals you will ever see, giving you the opportunity to stare a polar bear straight in the eye with impunity. Along the somewhat hidden staircases to the second floor you will find various photos of animals in their natural habitats.
The second floor itself is dedicated to the history and present state of Inuit culture. Be sure to visit the central room on the second floor, where you can find various types of equipment from different countries and a map that displays all the research bases spread across the frigid wastes.