The famous naturalist Dokuchaev has always attached great importance to the wide dissemination of information about the soil. Thanks to his efforts, the first Museum of Soil Science was organized not only in Russia, but throughout the world. St. Petersburg began to attract not only art connoisseurs, but also scientists.
Good intentions
The tasks of the established institution were the following: the development of a natural science classification of soil types and the collection of the most complete collection of Russian soils and subsoils. This, according to Dokuchaev, was supposed to fill the most important gap in science and raise the level of soil science.
The Soil Science Museum opened its doors in 1904. The first exhibits were specimens from the collections of Dokuchaev himself, which had previously been exhibited in many cities of Russia, as well as in Chicago and Paris.
Exposure Features
In the central part of the exhibition it was possible to get acquainted with the conditions of soil formation as a natural formation, and in the other sections - with its features in certain natural zones of the Europeanparts of the country. Each area was represented by a small monolith of soil typical of these areas.
From the first years of its existence, the Museum of Soil Science has played the role of the largest scientific center in the country. At present, it has an analytical laboratory and a library.
Transformations
In 1917, the Museum of Soil Science was included in the soil department, opened under the Permanent Commission for the Study of the Natural Productive Forces of the Soviet Union. The year 1925 was marked by the opening of the exposition under the direction of B. Polynov. Departments were organized on the renovated exhibition areas, revealing the features of the processes of soil formation and weathering, representing a systematically compiled collection of soil monoliths of the European and Asian territories of the Union. At the same time, the Museum of Soil Science was replenished with a historical section.
New Horizons
Thanks to the organization of the Soil Institute, it became possible to comprehensively develop the Museum of Soil Science. During the reconstruction, three departments were formed - pedagogical, systematic and demonstration. The latter had an introductory and soil-geographical department. All natural zones and their role in soil formation were considered in the most thorough way.
In 1946, the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Vasily Dokuchaev was celebrated. In honor of this institution was renamed the Central Museum of Soil Science. V. V. Dokuchaev.
Developing a new master planthe exposition was taken up by Zinaida Shokalskaya. This was in 1950. As a result of painstaking work, the number of mockups and comparative settings of different types of soils has been increased.
Modern exhibitions
Currently, the Museum of Soil Science allows its visitors to learn about what soil is as a special natural body, what are the ecological and geographical features of its formation, it also tells about violations and protection of the soil cover, about its transformations. It is noteworthy that information on each section is presented in the form of a thematic and artistic complex. The latter includes scientific data in graphical, schematic and digital form. Artistic elements are represented by photographs, herbarium, dioramas, sculptures and landscape paintings.
The main exhibits of the museum are, of course, soil monoliths. They are vertical sections of the soil with a natural structure in the form of a prism. Their width is 22 centimeters, height is a meter. At the moment, the exposition is represented by 332 items.
Basic collections:
- monoliths characterizing the soil cover of the planet;
- cultivated soils;
- recultivated;
- reclaimed;
- anthropogenically disturbed soils.
Among the unique exhibits are a soil globe with a diameter of 1 m 20 cm, a monolith 125 thousand years old, an octahedral monolith 170 cm high from the Streletskaya Steppe Central Chernozem Reserve (Kursk Region).
Tours
The Museum of Soil Science (St. Petersburg) offers interestingcognitive programs for schoolchildren, students and all those interested in the mysteries of the surrounding world. So, younger schoolchildren and preschoolers can get acquainted with the influence of climate, plants and soil on the life, traditions and customs of different peoples when watching thematic cartoons. The museum staff also organizes workshops on making applications from seeds of plants growing on different types of soil. It is not surprising that even kids visit the Museum of Soil Science with interest. "The Underground Kingdom" is another excursion during which children find themselves inside the soil and get acquainted with the peculiarities of the life of its inhabitants. After an exciting journey, cartoons such as "City of Bacteria", "The Journey of the Earthworm" and "Super Drops to the Rescue" are offered for viewing.
Secondary students will be interested in the excursions "Earth-nurse", "What is soil?", "Underground kingdom" and "Natural areas". High school students and students - "The Sacrament of Fertility", "Soils of Russia", "Shagreen Skin of the Planet" and many others.
Special holiday
For many years, it has been pleasing visitors and helping to explore the world around the Museum of Soil Science. The institution's birthday in 2014 is special, because this science center turns one hundred and ten years old.
Working hours
The Museum of Soil Science opens its doors at 10 am and closes at 5 pm. On Tuesday, you can visit this institution without an appointment and without payment. Excursion supportnot available on this day. Saturday and Sunday are days off.
