Museums
MUSEUM OF REGIONAL HISTORY.
Museum initiated and established in 1872 by F. Klichka, the governor of Irkutsk. The building itself, constructed in Moresque is a fine example of architecture of the last century. The collection of the museum is claimed to have 350 thousand of exhibits.
The Taltsy Museum of Architecture and Ethnography (the Wooden Architecture Museum) is appraised by decree from the President of the Russian Federation as a highly valuable object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia.
THE SUKACHEV'S FINE ARTS MUSEUM.
Operating hours: from 10:00am to 6:00pm, closed on Tuesdays. Founded in the 1870s as the Sukachev Picture Gallery. Before the revolution city in tsarist Russia had such a collection except for St. Petersburg with its Emperor's Hermitage and Moscow with its Tretyakov Art Gallery. Over 14,000 exhibits: pictures, sculptures, ceramics. Old church wooden sculptures. Icons of Novgorod, Siberian and other schools (16th-17th centuries). Canvases by the best Russian painters from the 18th-20th centuries: I. Repin, V. Polenov, K. Korovin, B. Kustodiev, P. Konchalovsky, F. Malyavin, K. Petrov-Vodkin, A. Plastov. Western European masters from the 16th-19th centuries. Collection of paintings from China, India and Japan. Applied Art. Works from modern artists and sculptors.
THE DECEMBRISTS' MEMORIAL COMPLEX.
Operating hours: from 10:00am to 6:00pm: House-Museum of Trubetskoy, closed on Tuesdays, House-Museum of Volkonsky closed on Monday. Irkutsk is recognized as the Decembrists center of Russia. Museums have opened (in 1970, 1985) in houses where the families of Sergei Trubetskoy and Sergey Volkonsky lived. There are genuine things which belonged to the Decembrists and replicas of those things which were lost, such as pieces of furniture, tableware, stoves, musical instruments, ancient chandeliers, embroidery, books, sheet music, pictures, photographs in the museums. On certain days, just like when the hosts were alive, the candles are lit, music is played and poetry and stories are recited.
THE TALTSY MUSEUM.
Founded in 1969, the museum is conveniently situated on the road to Lake Baikal, 47 km of the Baikal highway. There are over 40 monuments of architectural heritage and 8,000 exhibits of high historical value. Two architectural-ethnographical areas - Russian and Buryat - show a large variety of housing and life of the Siberians.The most valuable monuments in Taltsy are the Savior's gate tower of the ostrog (fort) of Ilimsk (1667) and an active Kazan Chapel (1679). Take the opportunity to see and be acquainted with the life of old Siberia.
Operating hours: daily, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
LOCAL ART GALLERY. The gallery has more than 16 thousand of pieces of art of Russian, Buriatian and Oriental origin. The treasury of the gallery boasts of unique paintings of famous of I. Repin, I. Shishkin, V. Polenov, I. Savrasov. The history of the area in 19th century is directly associated with Decembrists. The displays of The Trubetskoy's and Volkonsky's Houses tell the story of life in exile of the legendary nobles.
Theatres
ORGAN HALL.
The Polish Roman-Catholic church is the only Gothic building constructed in Siberia. In 1978 it housed an Organ Hall of Irkutsk. Irkutsk was the second city in Siberia that set organ. Our organ, like all existing organs, is unique and does not have an analog. By the appearance, made in Baroque, it is one of the most beautiful organs of the country. Irkutsk Regional Drama Theater. The traditions of the theater were rooted in 18 century. A legend of theatre — is the birth of famed A. Vampilov on its stage.
IRKUTSK REGIONAL PHILHARMONIC HALL
The hall was established in 1939, in the building of former local government. During the years of existence, philharmonic orchestra has worked out three main tendencies. Diversity of the repertoire, engagement of young local musicians and third tendency is participation of foreign musicians in its performances.
Cinemas
BARGUZIN
Baikalskaya st., 107
Tel.: 231330
DRUZHBA
Marshala Zhukova av., 56
Tel.: 238077
IRKUT
Ryabikova bul., 2b
Tel.: 438257
PIONER
Karla Marxa st., 43
Tel.: 331949
CHAIKA
Tereshkovoj st 23
Tel.: 431905
EKRAN
Omulevskogo st., 31
Tel.: 270150
