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Issues of 2008

Museum of water on Shpalernaya street

Today we will talk about a unique place in the Northern capital of Russia ≈ the informational and educational center ⌠World of Water■. Most of us consider a museum exposition to be static and conservative. However, the founders of the center offer visitors quite a new view on what a modern museum should be.

We were literally stunned when we entered St. Petersburg Museum of Water for the first time. In the foyer, we saw an original fountain╛waterfall (the author of the project O. Manshin) filling the room with freshness and murmur and sparkle of dropping water.

The museum ⌠World of Water■ is located in the historical center of St. Petersburg, between the Neva River and the Tavrichesky Palace (The former State Duma). The territory of the center with outdoor fountains, alleys and benches is clean and tidy. The sculptural composition ⌠St. Petersburg Water Carter■ in front of the entrance welcomes visitors inside.

The one of the ⌠youngest■ St. Petersburg museums was opened on May 19, 2003: it was the present from the State Unitary Enterprise ⌠Vodokanal St. Petersburg■ (water supply enterprise) for the 300th anniversary of the Northern Venice. The majority of showpieces are exhibited at the old water tower erected more than one and a half century ago. The tall redbrick tower was built after the project of E. Shubersky and I. Marz in 1859√1863 and was meant to supply the central part of the city with water.

The classic monument of industrial architecture has already had its days as an engineering structure. After the October turnover, it housed the manometer producing plant, then the ⌠Lenvodopribor■ factory, which manufactured water supply equipment. Despite severe bombardments during World War II and the siege of the city, the tower managed to survive. In 1980s, some officials wanted to take the building down in order to construct at the picturesque site on the bank of the Neva River a hotel for guests of the Leningrad government. However, in 1999 ⌠Vodokanal St. Petersburg■ decided to found there a modern museum dedicated to the history of water supply of the city.

Restorers put in a lot of effort: they cleared and preserved original redbrick walls of the tower (one can see the old brickwork in one of the museum▓s halls), strengthened floors and erected a modern elevator. The unique glass and steel observation site blended in with the old XIX century tower.

The restoration works were finished in record╛setting time (one and a half a year). Meanwhile, organizers of the project drafted the strategy and conception of the future museum. During the works, researchers found many old and rare pieces (glass bottles, accessories, etc.) that were included in the permanent exhibition. The city archives, funds and private collectors donated many exceptional items as well.

The most interesting and important attraction of the museum is the tower itself. The red brickwork of the structure creates a unique atmosphere and serves as a superb ⌠frame■ for museum▓s showpieces. Traditional glass show windows, old pictures and photographs, rare blueprints, sketches and maps show best on the background of such a material as red brick. The interiors of the display halls were elaborated by the design studio of Marina Dynai (the State Russian museum). The high-tech interior design of the museum space combines pipes of different diameters, engineering devices and various metallic details.

Usually an excursion starts at the multimedia center of the museum, where visitors can see a film about the history of water supply in St. Petersburg. There is also an interesting and highly illustrative display ⌠Subterranean St. Petersburg■ and very detailed architectural model of the central part of the city there.

The main exhibition space is arranged upward on the four floors of the multistoried tower. The display focuses on interconnection and interdependence of life of the city▓s residents, water reserves and well developed system of water supply. It features many exceptional showpieces: from the early wooden pipes made of oak or larch to ultramodern systems of monitoring. Thus, the permanent exhibition of St. Petersburg Museum of Water unveils the history of water supply throughout the city▓s existence, successfully realizing the main aims of any museum ≈ to educate and entertain.

The chief curator of the museum Alexander Korsavin proudly demonstrates us his favourite showpieces. Among them are rare and little-known items, as well as things that we often use in our everyday life. For example, one can see an antique water clock ≈ clepsydra ≈ invented in Ancient Greece. The detailed and easy to understand note explains visitors the operating principle and history of the rare piece. Children are always excited to see an ordinary draw-well with a chain and a bucket. The wooden bucket dating XIX century seems to come from an Old Russian fairy╛tale. Everyone can touch it and feel its aura.

The history of St. Petersburg ≈ is the history of a city situated on the banks of the Neva River. The city always needed fresh and clear water for further growth and normal life of its residents. Due to such a great role of water, inhabitants of the city established numerous ceremonies and customs connected with water. The museum describes many official and folk rituals that were practiced in St. Petersburg in different times.

A part of the display is dedicated to construction of the first water pipeline. As the funds allocated by the government were insufficient, the city▓s elite established a joint venture ⌠St. Petersburg water system■. Among the members of the cooperative association were prominent manufacturers and merchants, public officials, military officers, writers, artists, etc. Due to their efforts, habitual buckets and barrels were replaced by modern conveniences. Water pipes, taps and other accessories became an integral part of the everyday life of the city┘

One of the museum▓s sections is devoted to washing accessories of the late XIX ≈ early XX century. The highlights of that interesting and important department include a portable mahogany washstand of the early XX century, which reportedly belonged to a high-ranking officer or of the Imperial Russian army or a member of the Imperial Court. According to experts, the unique piece could be located in the personal train of Emperor Nicolas II. However, the washstand is rather simple in design and very functional.

Masters (or designers as we can call them now) of the past also expressed their artistic ideas in such extremely utilitarian objects as toilet bowls, wash basins and chamber utensils. We were also impressed by a variety of handles of old-fashioned waste tanks displayed in a special show window in one of museum▓s halls. Notably, the first waste tanks appeared in Europe by the late XIX century and were considered a kind of luxury article then.

St. Petersburg researchers and designers managed to restore a memorial interior of the late XIX ≈ early XX century located on the third floor of the former water tower. Thus, guests of the museum are now able to visit the office of the head of St. Petersburg water supply system. The office features a portrait of the Emperor on the wall, elegant hangings, wallpapers of delicate colours and the old long-case clock manufactured in England. The large bureau covered by traditional green woolen cloth and collection of rare books (including the famous Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary) in the bookcase disposed the official to work hard. Among smaller accessories are a middle-sized office sculpture and a fine leather French writing case. Several photographs by the famous Petersburg chronicler Karl Bulla on the walls and a family picture on the table make visitors understand the atmosphere of that time better. The exposition also includes a number of pieces relating to the early Soviet age. Among them is a fragment of a wooden water pipe. In 1930s, the country lacked metal, and thus, Soviet engineers had to turn to the old technology ≈ the wooden pipeline. One can also see many documents and photographs illustrating hard times of the newborn country, for instance ≈ the coupon for water delivery dating 1924.

The special section is dedicated to the hard and glorious days of the siege of Leningrad during World War II. There are few showpieces in that hall; still, they make visitors think about heroic deeds of their parents and grandparents. There is a leaflet on the wall calling city dwellers for alertness during bombardments: ⌠In case of emergency or damage of the water supply system┘■. The windows are pasted crosswise with paper strips as it was done in wartimes. On the table, there are plain kitchen utensils, original can of American army pot roast and a small wood stove (the so-called ⌠burzhuika■). All these objects survived the siege together with the city and its residents┘

The excursion ends in the hall devoted to the present day of the water supply system of St. Petersburg. One can see a working model of supervisory console of ⌠Vodokanal■ Company, a model of the newly constructed waste treatment facilities, and curious artworks by contemporary Petersburg artists (for example, original depiction of a pillar fountain by Olga Florenskaya). Here you can feel that objects, which seemed usual or modern not long ago may become antiques in few years.

To conclude our excursion we visited the modern caf? shop, which was designed by Marina Dynai as well. It is not an ordinary caf?; here, visitors find the subject exhibition ⌠History of Beverages■ featuring numerous bottles, teapots, old and rare tableware, etc. Special notes to each showpiece inform guests about the origin of these items. Interestingly, the showpieces are placed not only in cases, but inside glass tea tables too.

The young museum is rapidly developing, it replenishes its collection, introduces new projects and exhibitions. The Museum of Water lays emphasis of various interactive programs and direct communication with visitors. Similar art projects became extremely popular in the Western countries long ago; alas, they are not widely introduced in Russia yet. However, European colleagues did justice to efforts of the museum: in summer, the ⌠World of Water■ on Shpalernaya Street in St. Petersburg received the honorable title ⌠European Museum of the Year 2006■.

The Head of the ⌠World of Water■ Svetlana Pshenichnaya told us about the prospects of the museum. In near future ⌠World of Water■ is planning to hold a number of temporary exhibitions, educational seminars, trainings, contests of drawings, master classes of artists. The museum is not going to rest on oars.

We spent several hours at the museum: visited all floors of the tower, the multimedia center and temporary display, attentively listened to our highly professional guide. Of course, it is impossible to tell everything about the unique museum in a single article; still, we hope to resume our story in the next issues of ⌠Antiq.Info■ magazine.