State Darwin Museum
From Moscowiki
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Closed: Monday and last Friday of the month
Moscow Museum Guide
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[edit] Description
State Darwin Museum, founded in 1907 by Alexander Kots (1880-1964), became the first museum of evolution in the world. The modern building of the museum was constructed in 1994.
[edit] Collection
Exhibition area of the museum is 5 000 square meters; more than 5 000 specimens are displayed on three floors of the building. The exhibition illustrates the origin, development and diversity of life on the Earth, the evolution of behavior of animals and their expansion throughout the planet, the origin of Man and history of his relationship with Nature.
In the hall you will meet two giant stuffed elephants, as well as giraffes and a zebra against a big pyramid-shaped mirror at the background. It is a symbol of integration between wild nature and urbanism. The glass pyramid looks like the ancient ones in Egypt, changed in a strange metamorphosis.
[edit] Laws of Evolutionary Theory
Visitors learn basic laws of evolutionary theory: development of new species of animals and plants, their amazing variability, striking adaptations to their surroundings, and their coexistence with other species. The sight of the sculptures of Pithecanthropus, Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon men generates ambiguous thoughts about the origin of mankind.
[edit] Collection of Aberrant Mammals and Birds
The pride of the Darwin Museum is the world's biggest collection of aberrant mammals and birds, which has a unique scientific value. The collection of birds consists of many exotic species, such as hummingbirds and birds of paradise. There are specimens of the extinct Dodo, the Great Auk, the Passenger Pigeon and the Majestic Huia. These specimens can be seen only in several museums in the world.
[edit] Cult of a Bear
There is also an unusual exposition of the Russian cult of a bear, illustrated by the fairy-tale books about “medved Misha”, toys and statuettes of a bear. This worship in Russia comes from the times when people thought themselves to be werewolves.[edit] Photos
