Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics
The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics [Мемориальный Музей Космонавтики], or the Moscow Space Museum, is appropriately located under the ‘Monument to the Conquerors of Space’ [Монумент «Покорителям космоса»] – a 110m titanium sculpture which depicts a rocket’s scent into space. Both structures stand as tribute to Soviet and Russian innovation in the fields of space engineering, aeronautics and rocket technology.
The museum itself boasts 8500 square meter of exhaustive exhibitions. The first of which follows the journey of the Soviet Space Program through the pivotal and innovative 1960’s. The decade in which the Soviet Union became the first nation to send a man into space- Soviet pilot and later demi-god Yuri Gagarin. Let’s take a moment to consider the fact that mobile phones weren’t invented until around ten year later. Exactly. Mind blown.
The museum includes a special exhibition dedicated to the pioneers of astronomic theory and engineers who made this first flight, and numerous other advances possible. Many of these scientists and engineers were, in their time, completely unknown so as to retain the secrecy of the Soviet Union’s space program. There is also a room devoted to the various animals who contributed, albeit unwittingly, to the many breakthroughs made during the Space Race. Belka, Strelka, and friends- we salute you.
What is particularly great about this museum is how interactive it is, you get a real feel for what it’s like to travel to space. There are several to-scale and exact replicas of the space crafts and rockets that were launched into orbit, some of which you can actually enter. The developments and progress made over the years, including the living conditions of cosmonauts is evident. There has been a clear focus on improving the livability of the crafts, which reflects the extended time that cosmonauts and astronauts can now spend in space. Plus there’s a space simulator which is very fun.
Admittedly, I can’t be sure if I made it round the entire museum, however all this means is that another trip is in the cards. Like the Hermitage, although perhaps not quite as overwhelming, the Space Museum is one of those places that deserve a good couple trips.
This post was brought to you by Lola, currently studying at Liden & Denz Moscow
