Events and Exhibitions

‘History Returned’ exhibition opens in Moscow

On 28th April 2026, a new exhibition History Returned opened in the Exhibition Hall of the State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF) in Moscow. The exhibition is dedicated to the Russian diaspora during the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution and the Russian Civil War.

After the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), the Prague archive of the Russian Foreign Historical Archive (RZIA) was transferred to the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, and in 1946 it became part of the funds of the Central State Archive of the October Revolution, now the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF).

This is the largest of the archives of the Russian emigration in Europe of the interwar period, from 1923 to 1945. During the Nazi occupation of Bohemia and Moravia, employees of the RZIA, did not abandon their noble cause in those difficult years, by safeguarding the archives for the history of Russia.

PHOTO: The premises of the Russian Foreign Historical Archives. Prague. 1924

The State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF) stores a unique collection of documents on the Russian diaspora which followed the Bolshevik Revolution in October 1917 and Russian Civil War (1917-1922).

In addition are documents of political, public organizations and institutions of the Russian emigration, printed publications, drawings, photographs, leaflets, posters, maps, banknotes. The archive is further complemented by documents from the personal archives of prominent Russian state, political and military figures and well-known representatives of science and culture of the Russian emigration.

PHOTO: Registration form No. 3169 of Marina
Ivanovna Efron-Tsvetaeva, Prague, August 23, 1922

The first section of the exhibition displays documents that tell about the decades of work by the Prague Archive staff, who carried out “the collection, storage, systematization and scientific processing of materials on the history of Russia and its peoples.

Among the valuable exhibits: documents of the poetess Marina Tsvetaeva (1892-1941) and drawings of the artist Yuri Artsybushev (1877-1952), as well as documents of the First Russian Cadet Corps, the Union of Russian Military Invalide.

Of particular note are exhibits dedicated to the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church [today known as the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), which united Russian emigrants in foreign lands. These document’s became part of the RZIA in 1934, and include the note-testament of Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and All Russia (1865-1925) of 23rd November 1923, a medal and badges made in honour of the 950th anniversary of the baptism of Russia, which was celebrated by the Russian Orthodox diaspora in 1938, are presented. .

PHOTO: Poster for the grand ball organized by Grand Duchess Kira
Kirillovna to benefit Russian military invalids in France. May 7, 1937.

The exhibition is further complemented by documents, letters, diaries and photographs, gifted to GARF by the descendants of prominent members of the Russian diaspora.

On display are documents and personal items that belonged to General Anton Denikin (1872-1947), transferred in 1992-2000 by his daughter Marina Denikina-Gray (1919-2005), as well as materials from the family collection of Admiral Alexander Kolchak (1874-1920), which were preserved for many years Paris by his widow Sophia, and subsequently acquired for the Civil Aviation of the Russian Federation by a wealthy Russian entrepreneur Leonid Mikhelson. In the same section are documents of Anna Kniper-Timiryova (1893-1975), preserved in the family of her nephew I.K. Safonov and subsequently transferred to the Civil Aviation of the Russian Federation by his son V.I. Safonov and widow L.N. Zubareva.

Exhibition documents reveal the fate of representatives of the Imperial House of Romanov, who were forced to leave Russia after 1917: photographs and other items from the archives of Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich (1879-1956) and collection of the Yusupov-Romanovs.

Among the key exhibits, vistors can see diaries and photographs taken onboard the British battleship HMS Marlborough, when some of the most prominent members of the Russian Imperial Family left Russia from the Crimea. Among them were Nicholas II’s mother the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (see photo below) and her daughter Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna.

PHOTO: General Anton Ivanovich (1872-1947) Denikin
in his office at Stavka [Headquarters]. Mogilev, 1917.

The exhibition History Returned runs until 21st June 2026, in the Exhibition Hall of the State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF) in Moscow.

PHOTO: Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna leaves Russia
onboard the battleship HMS Marlborough. 1919

‘The Tragic Omen’ exhibition opens in St. Petersburg

Posted on 11 Days Ago by Paul Gilbert

On 1st May 2026, the exhibition “Tragic Omen“ opened at the Museum of Political History in St. Petersburg. The exhibition is timed to the 130th anniversary of the Holy Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II on 27 May (O.S. 14 May) 1896 and the tragic events on the Khodynka Field on 31st (O.S. 18th) May 1896.

The art nouveau mansion which today houses the museum itself was originally built for Mathilde Kshesinskaya (1872-1971), the famous prima ballerina at the Mariinskiy before the Revolution, and Nicholas II’s mistress before he became Emperor. Designed by Alexander von Gogen and completed in 1906, the residence combines an enfilade of reception rooms with a winter garden and rotunda.

In 1917, the building was seized by the Bolsheviks and turned into their headquarters in the city. It became the centre of their revolutionary activities, and Lenin made a historic speech from one of the balconies after his arrival in the city. It was later passed through a number of organizations, before eventually becoming the Museum of the Revolution in 1957. At the beginning of the 1990’s, the museum was renamed the Museum of Political History

PHOTO: view of the Museum of Political History, which is housed in the former mansion of the Russian prima ballerina Mathilde Kshesinskaya in St. Petersburg

The exhibition features a little-known portrait of Emperor Nicholas II, painted in 1896 for the coronation celebrations by one of the nuns of the Novo-Tikhvin Convent in Ekaterinburg and hung in one of the rooms of the Winter Palace until October 1917. When revolutionary Red Guards and sailors stormed the imperial residence, they attacked the portrait with bayonets.

The exhibition presents a collection of very interesting items from the Holy Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II. Amon them are menus of the gala lunches and dinners served to the newly crowned Tsar and his guests on the days of the coronation. Each is colorfully decorated by eminent artists Viktor Vasnetsov (1848-1926), Alexander Benois (1870-1960) and Ernst Liphart (1847-1932).

In addition are uniforms, coronation mugs, a scarf, photographs, invitations to the ceremony, foreign magazines and la copy of the two-volume Coronation Album – published in 1899.

PHOTO: late 19th century lithograph depicts Emperor Nicholas II’s official entry to Moscow, on 9th May 1896. The event marked the beginning of his Holy Coronation – the ceremonies and festivities lasted three weeks

Books published underground (illegally) and abroad, satirical postcards brought from Europe to Russia show the origin and cultivation of the myth of “Bloody Nicholas”.

Visitors can also acquaint themselves with the testimonies of eyewitnesses of the Khodynka tragedy and hear the assessments of people of different social backgrounds and political beliefs. The “voices” of eyewitnesses reflect the polyphony of opinions: who is to blame for the tragedy – the police and the Moscow authorities, who failed to ensure the security of the event, or the excitement of the uncontrollable crowd, greedy for Tsarist gifts?

The project will tell how after the Khodynka tragedy, the liberal and revolutionary intelligentsia began to systematically undermine the authority of Nicholas II and the entire Russian monarchy. This happened despite the fact that the Emperor personally took responsibility for what happened.

This section of the exhibition is complemented by “At the Vagankovo Cemetery. Funeral of the Victims of Khodynka” by the Russian artist Viktor Makovsky (1846-1920) and sketches for “Khodynka”, conveying the emotional perception of the tragedy – depicted in detail the tragic events that he witnessed.

PHOTO: At the Vagankovo Cemetery. Funeral of the Victims of Khodynka (1901) by Vladimir Makovsky. From the Collection of the Museum of Political History, St. Petersburg

In May 1896, Makovsky was invited by the government to illustrate the coronation exhibition, but unexpectedly encountered the gloomy side of the festivitiies. Going to Moscow from St. Petersburg, he intended to record the festive atmosphere, folk festivities and fireworks that accompanied the coronation celebrations.

A huge crowd of people came for the promised gifts, and the situation quickly got out of control. Crowds amounting to tens of thousands of confused people pushed, fell and screamed, turning the grandiose spectacle into a nightmarish scene of suffering, pain and death.

Returning to St. Petersburg, Makovsky spent the next five years creating a painting depicting the events of the Khodynka Field. The work showed the reality of the incident, in which 1,389 people were trampled to death, and an additional 1300 injured. The painting turned out to be so emotionally rich and realistic that the artist was forced to hide it from the public at the request of official bodies – the censors.

Vladimir Makovsky’s painting “At the Vagankovo Cemetery. Funeral of the Victims of Khodynka” as an exampled of unspeakable tragedy and the wrath of censorship.

When the painting was finally exhibited in 1901 at the Peredvizhniki Exhibition, it caused an instant reaction from the authorities. The canvas was immediately seized by order of the censorship department, and the Moscow governor Grand Duke Sergei A;exandrovich (1857-1905) sent a laconic review to the artist: “The painting is not yet timed, it is salt sprinkled on a fresh wound.” It was not possible to show the painting to the Russian audience, but the audience in London saw the canvas in 1910, and out of reach pf the Russian censors. Makovsky himself did not seek active agitation or participation in the revolutionary movement of the time. He memrey attempted to honestly depict what he saw, but it turned out that honesty and objectivity in art can be much more dangerous than any propaganda slogan.

In total, the exhibition presents more than 100 exhibits from the Collection of the Museum of Political History in St. Petersburg. This collection will be presented for the first time, offereing visitors a modern historical interpretation.

Nizhni Novgorod hosts lecture – “In Search of the Romanovs”

Posted on March 24 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: Archimandrite Tikhon (Zatekin)
Abbot of the Ascension Pechersk Monastery, Nizhni Novgorod

On 22nd March 2026, members of the Russian History Club in Nizhny Novgorod attended a lecture “In Search of the Romanovs” by the abbot of the Ascension Pechersk Monastery Archimandrite Tikhon (Zatekin).

The venue for the event was the State Historical and Architectural Museum, which is today housed in the former Rukavishnikov House in Nizhny Novgorod. The beautiful 3-storey mansion was built in the 19th-century in the Classicism-style.

The lecture “In Search of the Romanovs” was dedicated to the tragic death of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, his family and four faithful retainers.

Archimandrite Tikhon spoke about the first and second investigations into the murder of the Imperial Family, about his acquaintance in 1986 with screenwriter Geliy Ryabov (1932-2015) and geologist Alexander Avdonin (1932-2026), who in 1979 discovered what would come to be known as the “Ekaterinburg Remains“ in Porosenkov Log.

PHOTOS: the venue for the lecture, was the magnificent Grand Hall
of the former Rukavishnikov Mansion in Nizhny Novgorod

He also talked about about his research on his 688-page Russian-language book: “I realized that this tragic event would never let me go,” Романовы: убийство, поиск, обретение’ [Romanovs: Murder, Search, published in 2022.

At the end of the lecture, Archimandrite Tikhon answered questions from the audience, and showed club members items salvaged from the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg, as well as original editions of the books of investigator Nikolai Sokolov (1882-1924), which were published in 1924 and 1925.

Archimandrite Tikhon then signed copies of his book Романовы: убийство, поиск, обретение’ [Romanovs: Murder, Search.

FURTHER READING ABOUT Archimandrite Tikhon

Archimandrite Tikhon (Zatekin) on the Ekaterinburg remains + PHOTOS

St. Petersburg honours memory of Nicholas II on 17th July + PHOTOS

June 1st marks 45th anniversary of discovery of the “Ekaterinburg remains” + PHOTOS

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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG

Photo-exhibition dedicated to the Imperial Family open’s in the Volokolamsk Kremlin

Posted on November 27 by Paul Gilbert

On 26th November 2025, a photo-exhibition dedicated to Russia’s last Tsar and his family opened in the building of the Clergy House, located in the heart of the Volokolamsk Kremlin, situated 129 kilometers (80 mi) northwest of Moscow. The exhibition presents more than 100 photographs from the private albums of the Imperial Family.

The photo-exhibition Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown is a joint project of the Volokolamsk Kremlin, the Moscow Sretensky Monastery and the Volokolamsk Deanery of the Odintsovo Diocese.

The exhibition is divided into three thematic parts: family life, service to the Fatherland and mercy. The family of Nicholas II, is an example of a true Christian family, which is very important today, when the whole world is experiencing a crisis of family values.

The first part of the exhibit is dedicated to family relationships. Here are photographs depicting private home life, the attention of Nicholas and Alexandra towards their children and the close relationships shared with each other.

The second part reflects service to the Fatherland. The photos show Nicholas II’s participation in military reviews and his visits to Russian troops at the Front, during the First World War.

The third, the largest part of the exposition, is dedicated to the mercy and charity of the Imperial Family. A special place is dedicated to photographs in which the Empress and her daughters are depicted working in hospitals, assisting doctors during operations and providing care to soldiers, who were recovering at the hospital in Tsarskoye Selo, where the Empress and her daughters worked as Red Cross nurses.

The curator of the exhibition, Hieromonk Ignaty (Shestakov), noted the importance of the photographs presented:

“Among all the photographs, I would single out the picture where the Emperor visits wounded soldiers in a hospital during the First World War. We obtained this original image from our archive when preparing the exhibition . It turned out that this photo had not been published anywhere before. We were one of the first to present it publicly.”

The photo-exhibition Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown runs until the end of February 2026, in the building of the Clergy House, located in the heart of the Volokolamsk Kremlin. The exhibit is open to visitors every Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00 and on public holidays. Admission is FREE!

The exhibition Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown has been held (although under different names) in various formats and in many Russian cities: Moscow, Voronezh, Kursk, Ryazan, Penza, Krasnodar, Belgorod, Velikiye Luki, Yalta, Livadia, Sevastopol, Novosibirsk, Lesosibirsk, Perm, Sayansk, Severomorsk, Pskov, Pavlovsk, Livadia, etc.

The photo project Under the Shadow of the Tsar’s Crown was created in 2016 by the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. The travelling exhibition has already been presented in Serbia, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Czech Republic.

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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG

Interactive exhibition dedicated to the Romanov Dynasty opens in Tver

Posted on November 13 by Paul Gilbert

A new interactive exhibition dedicated to the Romanov dynasty has opened in the multimedia historical venue Russia – My History, in the Russian city of Tver.

The exhibition tells about the reign of the first tsars of the Romanov dynasty: Mikhail Fyodorovich (1613–1645), Alexei Mikhailovich (1645–1676), Fyodor Alekseevich (1676–1682), and Peter I the Great (1689–1725).

The exhibition also includes sections dedicated to the era of Empress Catherine II the Great (1762–1796), Emperors Alexander I the Blessed (1801–1825), Nicholas II (1894–1917), and the revolutionary events of 1917 that ended the Romanov dynasty.

The exhibition is presented in 15 halls with multimedia screens, touch tables, lightboxes and tablets. The updated exhibition has become more interactive, thanks to which visitors can test their knowledge in educational quizzes, watch chronological tapes, get acquainted with information using CGI graphics and modern technology.

Visitors also have the option of a guided tour of the exhibition, with experienced guides who discuss the pages of the history of the Romanov Dynasty and the great transformations of the country.

The exhibition Russia – My History is open on a permanent basis.

The multimedia historical Russia – My History sites now stretches across Russia and includes 26 cities: Vladivostok, Pyatigorsk, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, Makhachkala, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Perm, Rostov-on-Don, Samara, St. Petersburg, Saratov, Stavropol, Tyumen, Ufa, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Yakutsk, Chelyabinsk, Surgut, Tver, Lugansk, Melitopol.

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Also in Tver . . . . On 20th Mary 2020, after an extensive restoration, the historic Imperial Chambers in the Tver railway station opened its doors to visitors.

It is now possible to see the former Imperial Chambers, where Emperors Nicholas I, Alexander III and Nicholas II stopped during their respective train journeys between the two capitals.

The interiors which reflects the early 1900s, are based on archival documents, sketches, drawings and surviving photographs. They are as close as possible to the lost original, right down to the green wallpaper with gilded pattern on the walls and figured oak flooring.

Note the portraits of Emperor Nicholas I (left) and Emperor Nicholas II (right).

Recall that in 1851, traffic began on the Nikolayevskaya railway, which connected Tver with St. Petersburg and Moscow. It became a popular stop for the Imperial Train, where members of the Imperial Family would rest in the Imperial Chambers before continuing their respective journeys. See less

Imperial Family photo-exhibition opens in Vyselki

Posted on October 30 by Paul Gilbert

NOTE: click on the above image to enlarge and see in greater detail

On 22nd October 2025, the photo-exhibition ‘The Tsar’s Family. Love and Mercy‘, opened in the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Vyselki, Krasnodar Territory.

The exhibition is showcased in the central alley of the Church, where large photographs of Emperor Nicholas II and his family are displayed on the walls. The exhibition is FREE to all.

The exhibit tells the story of the Nicholas II’s family, who unselfishly served others during the First World War and the traditions of nursing in Russia at the turn of the 19th – early 20th centuries.

Recall that when World War I broke out, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and her two eldest daughters Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana became Red Cross nurses. Together, from 1914 to 1917, they cared for wounded soldiers in a private hospital on the grounds of Tsarskoye Selo, until the family were placed under house arrest, following the Tsar’s abdication 15th March (O.S. 2nd March) 1917.

PHOTO: 3rd grade students of school No. 2 in Vyselki together with their teacher visit the photo-exhibition ‘The Tsar’s Family. Love and Mercy’

The exhibition has already been visited by 3rd grade students of school No. 2 in Vyselki together with their teacher Irina Fostenko.

The children listened with interest to the story told by Father Alexander about the service of the Imperial Family to the Fatherland, and about Nicholas II’s family, helping soldiers, the poor and the sick during the war years.

The photo project The Tsar’s Family: Love and Mercy was created in 2016 by the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow. The travelling exhibition has already been presented in Serbia, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Czech Republic.

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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG

Vintage train from Ekaterinburg, tells the story of Nicholas II’s last days

Posted on October 19 by Paul Gilbert

PHOTO: a pin – depicting the image of Nicholas II
– worn by conductors on the vintage train from Ekaterinburg.

In December 2022, a vintage train journey was initiated from Ekaterinburg, which tells passengers, the story of the last days of Nicholas II and his family in the Urals. The train runs from Ekaterinburg to the Shuvakish station and back, on Friday evenings, and also on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The locomotive (see photo below) is not from the Imperial times, but a 1963 steam engine, made in Czechoslovakia. The interiors, however, have been remodeled to resemble that of an early 20th century Russian train.

Passengers travelling on the vintage train are greeted on the platform by hospitable conductors wearing uniforms of early 20th century Imperial Russia-style, and white gloves (see photo below).

The train has four wagons: First Class, Economy Class, a dining car (see photo below) and a sightseeing car, which operates during the summer months. One compartment is decorated with framed photographs of the Imperial Family.

During the 3-hour train journey, passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy the view, while listening to an audio-guide, which tells the story of the last days of Russia’s last Tsar, his family and their four faithful retainers.

The audio begins with the Imperial Family’s train journey from Tsarskoye Selo to Tyumen, then by boat to Tobolsk, where they were held under house arrest in the former Governor’s House, from August 1917 to March 1918.

The story continues, with the transfer of the Imperial Family to Ekaterinburg, where they were held under house arrest in the Ipatiev House, from March to July 1918. The audio-guide further tells of their fate, their burial at what is today known as Ganina Yama, and the discovery of their remains, almost 100 years later on the Old Koptyaki Road.

Tea is served to passengers from a traditional samovar. Conductors bring the tea in beautiful faceted glasses in iron cup holders, on which the Double-Headed Eagle of the Russian Empire is depicted.

The train stops at Shuvakish Station (Zheleznodorozhny district), where passengers are free to disembark the train to a wooden platform, decorated with benches, a bell and a manual semaphore signal. The stop lasts a little more than an hour.

Inside the wooden pavilion, passengers can enjoy music, which includes a variety of waltzes and melodies from the repertoire of Alexander Serov.

Passengers can also try on the uniforms of the White Guards, take photos, and enjoy a cup of hot tea, bagels and local berries.

PHOTO: tea is served at Shuvakish Station

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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG

Portraits of Nicholas II by the contemporary Russian artist Yuri Ashikov

Posted on September 11 by Paul Gilbert

It is very rare for a new Romanov exhibition to escape my notice, however, I only just recently learned of a very interesting exhibition of a contemporary Russian artist’s portraits of Emperor Nicholas II, which was held in Moscow in the Spring of 2024.

The Romanovs. Cultural Heritage exhibition showcased portraits of the last Tsar by Yuri Ashikov, a contemporary artist, who is virtually unknown of in the West. The exhibition was held from 28th April to 15th May 2024, in the Museum of Emperor Nicholas II in Moscow.

On display were the artist’s portraits of members of Emperor Nicholas II and his family, painted or drawn in the revived and almost lost, rare school of Russian realism in the portrait class, made popular during the late 19th and early 20th century by the famous Russian artist Valentin Alexandrovich Serov (1865-1911).

It is significant that Valentin Serov was the last artist to paint Emperor Nicholas II. In Yuri Ashikov’s paintings and drawings, you see the whole essence and beauty of the School of Russian Realism in a modern interpretation.

The culture of the late 19th century is directly and very closely related to the style in which the artist’s works are painted. Ashikov has managed to capture his August subject from iconic vintage photographs and paintings of the Tsar and his family. For instance, the portrait used for the exhibition poster (seen above) is based on a 1905 photograph of Nicholas II holding his infant son Alexei on his lap (see photo below) – it is truly beautiful beyond words!

I posted the above photo on my Facebook page several years ago, it was one of a series of four or five similar photos (though there are probably others?), but this one in particular, touched my heart.

This endearing image shows the Emperor Nicholas II seated on the porch of the Lower Dacha, Peterhof, while holding his infant son and heir Tsesarevich Alexei, c. 1905.

The Emperor is seen as a ‘proud papa’ pointing at something which has caught his eye in the garden, and he wants to share with Alexei.

Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich was born in the Lower Dacha at Peterhof on 12th August (O.S. 30th July) 1904. He was named Alexei – in honour of St. Alexius of Moscow (1296–1378).

About the artist – Yuri Ashikov

PHOTO: the contemporary Russian artist Yuri Ashikov visiting his “favourite museum”, while posing in front of a portrait of Emperor Nicholas II

Born in 1994, Yuri Ashikov is a contemporary Russian painter, photographer, sculptor, architect and art designer. He graduated, from the Stroganov School Faculty of Design in Moscow, trained in London and Japan, Latvia and Italy, studying not only drawing, but also design and architecture.

For three years, the artist worked on the “Romanov project”, creating a number of both paintings and charcoal drawings of the Tsar, his wife and children. Yuri wrote: “… I want the paintings to be alive, and each work to evoke emotions in the person… Each new project sets its own style, technique and materials. But most of my work I start in the traditional style – with charcoal.”

His exquisite paintings, which are recreated from iconic photographs and paintings of Russia’s last Tsar. They have been exhibited in cities across the Russian Federation, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Below, are some of Yuri Ashikov’s portraits of Emperor Nicholas II . . .

Photo exhibition “Romanovs: 23 Steps to Immortality” opens in Karabash

Posted on September 8 by Paul Gilbert

On 5th September 2025, a travelling photo exhibition The Romanovs: 23 Steps[1] to Immortality, opened at the Central City Library in the town of Karabash, situated in the south Urals. The collection of photographs of the Imperial Family was provided from the funds of the State Historical Museum of the South Urals. The exposition is timed to coincide with the 107th anniversary of the death and martyrdom of Russia’s last Tsar and his family.

On the night of 16/17 July 1918, Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, Tsesarevich Alexei, as well as four servants were murdered in the basement of the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg.

The exhibition presents unique photographs of members of the Imperial Family, diary entries of Nicholas II, anecdotes from the memoirs of people who knew the Imperial Family intimately, as well as materials related to the abdication of the Emperor in March 1917, their private life in the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo, Tobolsk and Ekaterinburg. The exposition tells not only about the Romanov family, but also includes notes and memoirs of regicides, which allows visitors to look at the events from different angles.

The travelling exhibition The Romanovs: 23 Steps to Immortality was initially launched in 2018, the year marking the 100th anniversary of the death and martyrdom of Emperor Nicholas II and his family. It has since, toured towns and cities in the Urals, as well as other cities in the Russian Federation.

NOTES:

[1] Referring to the staircase – which consisted of 23 steps – in the Ipatiev House, in which, on the night of 16/17 July 1918, the Imperial Family and their four faithful retainers descended to their death and martyrdom in the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg.

There is a monument which depicts the Imperial Family descending 23 steps on the grounds of the Church on the Blood in Ekaterinburg.

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*As I have noted in previous posts, I support any initiative – big or small – to help keep the memory of Nicholas II and his family alive in 21st century Russia – PG

Large-scale Cossack exhibition opens in Tsarskoye Selo

Posted on July 11 by Paul Gilbert

On 11th July 2025, the exhibition “Cossacks in the Service of the Tsar and the Fatherland. 16th Century – 1917” opened in the Cameron Gallery, which is adjacent to the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo.

The large-scale exhibition brings together more than 800 items from the collections of 13 museums and archives, as well as six private collections. Their geography covers almost all of Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Gatchina, Novocherkassk, Ekaterinburg, Orenburg, Khabarovsk. Cossack troops and their units were stationed here for hundreds of years. Many of the items featured are being exhibited for the very first time.

Visitors will learn about the origin of the life of the Cossacks during peacetime, their uniforms, equipment, the weapons and regalia of the Cossack troops, the Cossack guards, the august atamans and military leaders, the Cossacks at the Imperial Court, as well as the participation of the Cossacks during the wars of the 18th – early 20th centuries.

“We have been preparing this exhibition for more than two years. It is symbolic that it opens in the year of the 250th anniversary of the formation of the Don and Chuguev court convoy Cossacks, who were stationed in Tsarskoye Selo, served the Empress Catherine II and became the basis for the creation of the Life Guards Cossack Regiment, which guarded the Imperial Family until 1917,” said Dmitry Klochkov, head of the military-historical department of the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum.

“The history of the Cossacks is a separate, unique world, inextricably linked with the fate of Russia. The service of the Cossacks covers several centuries, and at all times they stood on the most dangerous borders of the country. We hope that the exhibition will become not only a cultural, but also an educational event that will awaken interest in the history and exploits of the defenders of the Fatherland,” said Alexei Gnedovsky, CEO of VELES Capital, philanthropist.

Among the exhibits are Cossack weapons (sabers, daggers, pikes and even cannons), exquisite uniforms, equipment, regalia (badges, banners, and maces, St. George trumpets, award weapons, bratins, prize cups), household items and costumes of Cossack wives, sculptures, paintings, drawings, engravings, lithographs, printed graphics, personal belongings and rare photographs. The events of the First World War on the Caucasian front are demonstrated by a large model-diorama “Plastuns in the Trebizond Operation in the Spring of 1916” specially created for the exhibition.

The exhibition tells about the participation of the Cossacks in the annexation of Siberia. This subject is widely known thanks to Vasily Surikov’s 1895 painting “The Conquest of Siberia by Yermak” – sketches for the famous canvas from the collection of the State Russian Museum (St. Petersburg) are featured in the exhibition.

Among the rare exhibits are a rifle that belonged to the ataman of the Azov Cossack Army Osip (Yosip) Mikhailovich Gladky (c. 1789-1866) from the collection of the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps (St. Petersburg); granted kovshs (ladles) of the 18th century for Cossack atamans and noble Cossacks, sabers granted from emperors and empresses from the collection of the State Historical Museum (Moscow); children’s Cossack toys from the collection of the Russian Museum of Ethnography (St. Petersburg); uniforms of the last ataman of all Cossack troops, Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, from the collection of the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum. One of the priceless relics is the jubilee banner with the Alexander ribbon of the 7th Orenburg Cossack Regiment from the collection of the State Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg).

The exhibition “Cossacks in the Service of the Tsar and the Fatherland. 16th Century – 1917” runs until 8th October 2025 in the Cameron Gallery, which is adjacent to the Cather Palace at Tsarskoye Selo.