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The stocks of the newly restored main Russian historical museum numbers 4,5 million items and 15 million pages of documents. Only 21,877 items or 0.5% of the whole collection have been presented to the public so far. The governing body of the institution recognizes that the current display area (4,000 meters) doesn't answer the initial purpose of the National Museum: to present Russian history from ancient to modern times. The restoration of the museum in the Red Square started in 1986. But sweeping changes in the country distracted public and official attention from the process, so that the terms of restoration were delayed. Thus, the museum was completed in several stages. The first eight archaeological halls presenting Russian history from the Stone Age to the Ancient Russian State were opened only 11 years later. In 2003, the audience got acquainted to the Russia of X-XVII centuries. The last vacant space was occupied by the exposition called Imperial Russia. The newly opened two halls of the show are dedicated to Russia "After the Reforms". Modern technologies draw the visitor into the history of the second half of the 19th century. Monitors translating brief video-films tell the story of the agrarian reforms of the conservative Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin. The stories depict pivotal moments in Russian history and are illustrated with pictures from everyday life of the country's ordinary citizens. "We tried to reconstruct the images of distinctive types of that time on the basis of their typical belongings," explains Irina Arkhangelskaya, one of the authors of the exhibition. "Among the things portraying a banker you can see a wall telephone of the end of the 19th century and a golden cigarette case decorated with diamonds." A genuine derby and an English neck scarf help the audiences to get an idea of how a casual Russian factory manager looked like. The outfit of a factory worker is represented by belongings of a real Ural inhabitant." A special stand is dedicated to the activities of Moscow merchant Nikolai Naidenov, Moscow Duma deputy, chairman of the Industrial Chamber and one of the founders of the Historical Museum. In 1877, he held a competition for the best photographs of Moscow. The works of the winners were published in 14 albums in 1884, 1888 and 1891. That was the first time the city was captured by camera. Naidenov's portrait is on display along with the pictures of several other Russian patrons of art. As the organizers of the exhibition say, this picture gallery will be removable: it would take a complete hall to present all the portraits of entrepreneurs who spent money on preserving Russian history at that period of time. Among new exhibits of the display is a fragment of the "dining room ceramic decoration in Russian style" made by famous architect Fyodor Shekhtel. Matvei Kuznetsov, one of the powerful manufacturers and head of the "association for chinaware and faience production", had purchased this unique work. The vivid and colorful appearance of this extraordinary ceramic set, displayed in his mansion on 2nd Meshchanskaya street, brought Kuznetsov the fame of a "keeper of Russian folk traditions". "After reform" exhibits are the final stage of the display. The problem of space deficit was solved "at the expense" of the 20th century: there is no place for the October revolution or for World War II in the contemporary Museum of Russian History. The presentation of two newly restored halls and a combined display of historic items attracted a number of important Federal officials. "One of the oldest Russian Museums, a museum where you can touch the truth is also unique because of its importance for national revival. Not without reason it has been always located near the Kremlin and Gosduma. We will make every effort to expand its exposition", said Michail Shvydkoi, head of the Federal Culture and Cinema Agency. Shvydkoi also said that the exhibits connected with relatively recent times will be placed in the former Lenin Museum that is located in the Red Square next to the building of the Historical museum (which has been closed for the past 13 years due to ideological reasons). According to the official forecast, the new museum area in the Red Square will open in 5-7 years

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