NGO Аgency for support of cultural initiatives "Tranzit", Tranzit Kaliningrad region, culture Kaliningrad region, Culture

Municipal cultural institution
236004, Russia, Kaliningrad, Dzerzhinskogo st., 30, tel.: +7 (4012) 63 15 20, (4012) 64 40 20
(director)
 (specialists)
www.museum.gazinter.net
director – Svetlana Sokolova

The museum specializes in history and regional studies. Being located in the monument of the XIXth-century architecture of the same name and being a city museum at the same time, the museum develops according to the following directions: assembling the collection of everyday items that once belonged to the citizens of Königsberg at the end of XIX – beginning of the XX century; preserving, restoring and manifesting the monument of architecture of the XIX century “The Friedland City Gate”; coordinating regional activities on the research and popularization of fortification monuments by means of holding the annual international popular science conference “Defensive Installations of Europe and East Prussia” (held in October); coordinating the annual intermuseum project “Night of Museums” (bringing together about 13 participating institutions and held in May).

In its exposition and exhibition work the museum lays a special emphasis on innovative practices of museum work – active (but appropriate) use of multimedia.

The museum created a permanent exposition “Virtual walks across the Old Königsberg”, which is a unique exposition both for Russia and Europe.

Besides, one of the priorities of the museum activities is museum pedagogics, which is based on active implementation of interactive programs when working with children of school and under school age.

In 2005 the museum won the national Russian contest “Dyagilev’s seasons. Perm – Saint-Petersburg – Paris” in the category “Best producer’s project of the year” (for holding the medieval festival “REGIOMONS. The Royal Mountain”). In 2006 – won the award given by the Mayor of Kaliningrad “Inspiration” (for creating the museum and holding a medieval festival). In 2007 the museum’s project “Transmission” won the national Russian competition “Changing Museum in a Changing World” in the category “Technologies of museum exposition”. This competition is annually held in Russia under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Association of Cultural Managers (Moscow) with financial assistance from The V.Potanin’s Charitable Foundation.

The experience of museum’s international cooperation includes the international medieval festival of historical reconstruction “REGIOMONS. The Royal Mountain” (2004-2007) and the annual international conference “Defensive installations of Europe and East Prussia” gathering over 100 participants majoring in different domains (2005-2008); cooperation with GTZ (Technical Assistance Society, Germany) in the field of restoring the Friedland Gate (2005-2007) and with German sponsors in the field of further research, restoration and adjustment of the Friedland gate to contemporary conditions (2007-2009); international photo exhibitions (from German private archives, 2007-2008); tourism development project “Kalininberg-Königsgrad. The history created by joint efforts” aiming to develop a pedestrian route by Russian and German guides in Kaliningrad; an international volunteer camp in the framework of the program “Memory. Voluntariat for the European cultural heritage”.

The museum seeks to develop cooperation in the following directions:

• joint exhibitions dedicated to the history of Königsberg, urban life of the end of XIX- beginning of XX century in East Prussia, contemporary life in historical cities located on the territory of former East Prussia, fortification structures;
• exhibitions representing the museum’s funds in other museums;
• inviting specialists working in the field of use of fortification monuments, non-governmental organizations, municipalities, and experts – restorers interested in the topic and dealing with it, as lecturers in the annual international conference “Defensive Installations of Europe and East Prussia”;
• projects on tourism development (including the development of city tourist routes or tours on fortification installations); on museum pedagogics and other projects in the museum sphere and beyond.