The Old Believers Museum of History and Culture

The city of Borovsk is associated with the names of the protopope Avvakum and the noblewoman Morozova. The idea of creating an exhibition came to the director of the Borovsk History and Local Lore Museum, Viktor Ivanovich Osipov, in 1991. From December 6 – 8, 1990, the first conference was held in Borovsk, entitled Old Believers: History and Culture. During the conference, its participants came to the conclusion that the history and culture of the Old Believers are of interest to many researchers and therefore, holding such conferences is an urgent need and should become tradition. For this, a permanent organizing committee was created, which saw its task in uniting researchers of the Old Believers around a collection entitled Old Believers: History, Culture, and Modernity. The reality of this idea’s implementation became apparent when sponsors came to the rescue, for whom the publication of the collection became an integral part of life.

Over the past years, thirteen Old Believers: History, Culture, and Modernity International Conferences have been held and the conference proceedings have been published.

Over the years, the museum has changed its location several times. In recent years, it has carried out its activities in other museums, cultural objects (exhibition halls), and Old Believer churches that exist in the city.

The PIC Old Believers Museum of History and Culture is engaged in the identification, study, preservation, and popularization of the historical and cultural heritage associated with the historical uniqueness of the Old Believer culture, literature, life, and art, as well as the preservation, revival, study, and development of the Old Believer culture, the preservation and development of national creativity, and protection of the spiritual values and traditions of the Old Believer culture.

The museum fund formation began at the end of the 20th century. To date, materials from the collections of the museum highlight both the general historical events of the history and culture of the Old Believers as well as the events that took place on the territory of the Borovsk region from the 18th century to the first decades of the 21st century.

The museum’s collection includes hundreds of stored items and libraries of scientific literature.

The museum’s collection is divided into sections including documents and rare books, paintings, graphics, sculptures, Numismatics, Ceramics, glass, Copper plastic, Wood, Fabrics, and photos and negatives.