OREANDA-NEWS. December 7, 2007.The Izhorskiye Zavody Museum of History celebrated its 40th anniversary, OMZ' press service reports. This is the only museum in the community of Kolpino and one of the biggest departmental museums in St. Petersburg. The museum's exhibits present the history of the plant founded by decree of Peter the Great.

The museum was opened in 1967. Its collection includes 12,000 museum pieces, which are studied by researchers and students. Museum employees conduct research, prepare exhibitions, undertake excursions, lecture on local culture, and make themselves available to the press and TV.

The museum's archives include manuscripts, photos and graphic materials relating to the history of Izhorskiye Zavody. The collection consists of diaries and memoirs of the plant's managers and workers, and pictures and placards made during World War II. A collection of video materials relating to plant and Kolpino town history includes more than 30 films. Ten exhibit items have been certified by the State Polytechnical Museum as scientific and technical artifacts. The museum owns a part of a personal archive of the famous Russian metallurgist Dmitry Chernov.

The current exposition was created in 1991-1993. Key stages of the plant's development from the beginning of seventeenth century to the present are represented in three museum halls. The museum pieces are displayed chronologically. The exposition area is 350 square meters.

The Izhorskiye Zavody Museum of History records some 5,000 visitors annually.