Moscow Transport Museum opens an exhibition area in the building of the Southern River Station

The Moscow Transport Museum has opened an exhibition area in the building of the Southern River Station. The first project called Moscow Passenger River will tell visitors about the history and development of the Moscow river navigation. The project’s architecture refers to the image of the river, resembling its smooth flow from one historical period to another.

“On behalf of the Moscow Mayor, we have reopened the Southern River Station. returning its original appearance and transport function. We are convinced that, like the Northern River Station, it will become a new favorite spot for Moscow residents and visitors and an important cultural platform. The area of the Moscow Transport Museum appeared in the building; the first exhibition, Moscow Passenger River, was launched, where visitors can learn more about the development of urban river transport,” said Maxim Liksutov, Deputy Moscow Mayor for Transport.

The Moscow Passenger River exhibition of the Moscow Transport Museum will chronologically present the key events in the history of the river development, from the construction of a drainage canal in the 18 th century to the launch of electric vessels in the 21 st century. Visitors will witness scale models of ships, unique photographs, drawings and video footage from more than 10 public and private collections, a collection of tickets and archival river transport publications.

“A new area of the Moscow Transport Museum has been opened in the building of the Southern River Station. The first project called Moscow Passenger River is dedicated to the difficult and winding life of the station. Using rare historical artifacts, models, photographs and drawings, we have recreated the key events in the history of the Moskva river exploration. The chronology of the exhibition is divided into five sections that reflect the milestones in the development of river transport: from 1775, when the first design plan of Moscow was drafted, and the first hydraulic structures appeared that made the development of navigation on the Moskva River possible, to the post-industrial era of river transport infrastructure. This is what the Moscow river transport looks like today and what it can become in the future,” said Oksana Bondarenko, Director of the Moscow Transport Museum.

Nikita Golovanov, Chief Specialist of the Research Service of the Moscow Transport Museum, is the scientific curator of the exhibition. The exhibition is based on the research materials providing a framework for the book of the same name, Moscow Passenger River, which the museum will present in May.

You can visit the exhibition at the Southern River Station from 10:00 a. m. to 7:00 p. m. in the Moscow Transport Museum throughout the year.

The Moscow Transport Museum is an urban open space and a living research center. The museum’s holdings include more than 250 cars and trucks, taxis, buses, trolleybuses, city service vehicles, bicycles and motorcycles.

Visitors can see the exhibits of the museum’s collection in exhibition areas and on holdings and city’s transport infrastructure tours. The museum’s permanent exhibition will be displayed in the garage of the architect Konstantin Melnikov at 27 Novoryazanskaya Street. Now the landmarked Soviet avant-garde building is under restoration to be returned to its original appearance.

Areas of the Moscow Transport Museum

- VDNKh Pavilion No. 26 Transport of the USSR. The museum holds temporary exhibitions, where it presents a collection of vehicles, and lectures and master classes for children;

- Museum’s exhibition area at the Northern River Station. The restored interiors of the station have become the place to implement modern transport art projects. All visitors of the river station can see installations in the waiting room;

- Museum’s exhibition area at the Southern River Station. The first museum’s exhibition called Moscow Passenger River will chronologically present the key events in the history of the river development, from the construction of the drainage canal in the 18 th century to the launch of electric vessels in the 21 st century.

- Moscow metro. As part of the Museum Station project, posters specially made by artists, illustrators and designers, which are dedicated to the global transport industry, regularly appear at stations, in lobbies and underpasses.