The cruiser Aurora is a monument to Russian shipbuilding and the history of the Russian Navy, a veritable relic of the 1917 revolution and in 1957 it was converted into a museum.
The cruiser has a unique history; it was built at the New Admiralty yards in 1897-1900. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 it took part in the Battle of Tsushima and in the First World War it operated in the Baltic. However it was most famous for its involvement in the initiation of the October Revolution. On 25 October 1917 the cruiser fired a blank shot from its bow to signal the storming of the Winter Palace, and allegedly the crew took part in the storming of the palace itself. During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45 the ship was anchored in the vicinity of Oranienbaum, a suburb of the city, though its guns were still utilized in land operations. It was heavily bombed and in 1941 it sank. It was decided in 1944 to repair the cruiser to be used for a navy training centre. In 1948 the Aurora was moored permanently on the bank of the Neva. Following a major overhaul in 1984-87 the ship resumed its original form.
Photo by Даниил Капсюлькин website Pixabay
On your visit to the Aurora Cruiser you can see the engine-room, boiler compartment and radio room. It's also possible to see the crew's quarters. Rare photographs and documents relating to the ship's history are on display along with the personal belongings of its crew. There are over 500 original documents which tell the story of the cruiser and its role in the development of Russia.
