Memorial Museum of the NKVD (Tomsk)

The memorial museum "The NKVD Investigative Prison" (Tomsk) began its existence on June 13, 1989. It is one of the structural subdivisions of the Tomsk Regional Museum of Local History named after Mikhail Bonifatievich Shatilov. Most often, this museum is visited by politicians, journalists and representatives of public life. Therefore, he received popularity only in certain circles. It is interesting that this museum complex is the only one of its kind, which has no analogues all over the world. The fame of this institution has long exceeded the boundaries of the Russian state.

Location:

The Memorial Museum of the NKVD (Tomsk) was located in one of the basements on Lenin Prospekt. From 1923 to 1944 it was in this room was the prison of the Tomsk city department of the OGPU-NKVD. The adjoining territory was used as an internal courtyard, where from time to time the prisoners breathed fresh air. The Square of Memory is currently occupying this territory. During the period of 1992-2004, monuments were erected in this square dedicated to the victims of repression. Today, the NKVD Museum-prison (Tomsk) looks like a complete architectural ensemble, which, moreover, is a memorial. This place is of great importance for the historical memory of the city of Tomsk.

Expositions

The exposition in the museum is permanent. Here you can see the reconstruction of prison corridors and cells for prisoners. It is also possible to look into the investigator's office.

The museum's space is divided into four zones, where one can view different expositions united by one theme.

There are also several personal stands showing the history of famous and talented people who spent the last days of their lives in these walls. Exhibits are a huge number of documents, photographs, hand-made articles made by the hands of prisoners.

Life of the museum

In the museum there is a room reserved for the exhibition hall. The administration constantly organizes thematic events of a different plan. It can be various presentations, viewing documentaries and other social projects. Also there are interesting meetings with students, local lore and other interesting people. After such meetings everyone makes interesting and necessary conclusions for themselves.

Library

In addition to cognitive meetings and directly expositions, guests are invited to visit the library. This place is a narrow thematic area. Here you can find rare documents, interesting clippings from newspapers, photos and even videos. All this will help to deepen the life situations of prisoners in prison. The library stores more than 200 thousand life histories of people who have passed through these walls.

Social activity

Systematically, the NKVD Museum (Tomsk) organizes days of memory, doing this in conjunction with other public organizations. Such events are held with the aim of raising the awareness of modern youth. The museum is trying to attract the attention of young and energetic people who will be able to continue to implement the administration's plans in the future. Thus, the publication of various collections, as well as the holding of cognitive seminars, are increasingly occurring. These events are visited not only by Russian youth, but also by representatives of other countries. All this is very interesting and informative for a person of any age, so people can see people of different age categories. Particularly interesting is the library, where you can learn many interesting stories.

Visiting the Museum of the NKVD (Tomsk), ordinary people remain impressed by what they have seen for a long time.

Reviews

Initially, many tourists are skeptical about visiting such places. After all, circumvention of cultural attractions should be fun and positive. And what can be pleasant in visiting the prison?

But it is only necessary to take a step into the NKVD Museum (Tomsk), as all the generally accepted stereotypes are completely destroyed. This place is fascinating from the first second. Many people argue that they have not yet taken a more interesting and exciting excursion.

The museum is very easy to get from anywhere in Tomsk, as it is in the heart of the city.

The prison cells, which today are the main exhibits of the museum, have been preserved almost intact. This immerses even more into the special atmosphere of the terrible time of repression. Between the chamber halls there is a corridor, in which a lot of interesting exhibits are also presented.

The first room is the office in which the investigator worked. A standard set of furniture, a window under the lattice, a cigarette and a decanter. At the entrance to this chamber many covers an eerie feeling. The investigator's dummy also does not cause positive emotions, but still it's breathtaking from such a spectacle.

Before the eyes immediately pop up pictures of how unfortunate prisoners remained face to face with a representative of justice, and what emotions they experienced, as if knowing their future destiny.

On the table are kept the most real criminal cases. Those who have at least a little knowledge of the investigative examination, can conclude that in those days no full investigation was carried out.

The reasons for the arrests were not, they were not motivated, but practically all prisoners were given one sentence - to be shot.

Among the prisoners of the prison were poets, writers and other public figures. Many documents, photographs and even personal belongings of the famous poet Nikolai Klyuyev are presented on a separate stand. The poet was shot for propaganda against Soviet power, and also for writing anti-revolutionary works.

The walls of the prison have seen many tragic events. They breathe cold and horror. The whole atmosphere plunges into despondency, shock and even causes a sense of anxiety.

In another cell you can see a cross laid out from photos of prisoners. More than 23,000 innocent people here met their deaths. Among them are teachers, writers, poets, scientists, doctors, military men.

The most difficult for perception is the third room. Prisoners were directly here.

Remove the tension from what you saw in a cozy park, located right next to the museum. There are many benches and walkways for walks. But some monuments in the park still remind us of the terrible time of persecution and repression.