Water Museum (Moscow)

The opening took place on June 15, 1993 , a century after the First Russian Water Congress , held in Moscow ^[2] .

The museum is located near the Krutitsky Compound , on the territory of the first sewage pumping station in Moscow. It was commissioned in 1898 and served 219 households ^[3] .

The ensemble of historic buildings was created by the project of Maxim Geppener and is a monument of industrial architecture of the late XIX - early XX centuries. ^[4] . All constructions of the Main sewage pumping station were made in the “ brick style ” characteristic of industrial and storage buildings of that time ^[5] . The building in which the museum is located, was built later - in 1947-1948. ^{[6] [7]}

The museum exposition is logically divided into two parts - archival and current. The first introduces the history of the emergence and development of water supply networks in Moscow . Here you can learn about the first self-flowing Kremlin water pipelines operating during the reign of Ivan Kalita , Ivan III and Mikhail Romanov, and about the stages of the construction of the Mytishchi water pipeline built by decree of Catherine II . Copies of the Empress decrees are exhibited along with fragments of wooden pipes ^[8] . It also presents the original historical documents - atlases, technical books, handwritten albums, maps and working drawings ^[1] .

Another part of the exhibits on the first floor illustrates the creation of a sewage system in Moscow , the first waterworks in the Rublevo area and the launch of the Kozhukhovsky aeration station . Detailed maps create a complete picture of how their technical equipment has changed over time and the technology of work improved ^{[8] [9]} . In the windows of historical halls are presented water-related household items VIII — XIX centuries. ^[one]

The floor above shows layouts of more advanced water supply and sewerage systems in the city. Interactive models illustrate the different stages of purification that are needed to use water and return it to nature. A separate category of exhibits are the means of cleaning water supply and drainage systems. Anchors, balls, ruffs, controlled equipment - network maintenance tools were improved in proportion to the growing demand. Visitors are introduced to domestic development of facilities for maintenance and operation of urban systems, problems of quality and rational use of water . ^[eight]

The halls are equipped with a virtual guide, with which you can independently get acquainted with the exposure ^[10] . Periodically, temporary exhibitions are held in the museum. For example, in 2014, the permanent exhibition was supplemented by a collection of manholes. ^[eleven]