Museification of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, 1928-1931

Mass museumification of historical objects began in the country right after the October Revolution of 1917. The greatest difficulties were the creation of museums in religious buildings. It was necessary to find an «effective owner» to ensure the safety of the facility. It was equally important to determine how to continue using the building intended for religious worship in the conditions of building an atheistic society. The issue of adapting the cult building for the needs of the secular museum acquired special significance in the 1920’s, in the conditions of widely deployed anti-religious propaganda. An example of overcoming these difficulties is the creation in 1928-1931 museum in the Saint Isaac’s Cathedral. A unique architectural monument before the revolution was in charge of state structures and state financing. Attempts to transfer this responsibility and expenses to the elected body of parishioners, the «church twenty», were not crowned with success. Adoption in the late 1920’s urgent measures to repair the building, in view of the aggravated condition, as well as control by the state authorities, could not guarantee the preservation of the memorial temple in the absence of its competent exploitation. In sharp contradiction with the use of the cathedral with the new social structure came the original purpose of the building. The religious character of its artistic decoration inevitably reflected on the specifics of the museum being created. Despite the ideological «excesses» and anti-religious orientation of the first exposition, it was during this period that the scientific detailed study of the history of the construction of the cathedral began. Along with the demonstration of Foucault’s world-famous experience and exhibits aimed at forming an atheistic worldview, the interior of the temple, recognized as a national cultural asset, also aroused great interest and served to shape the pride of the museum visitors for their country.