The Museum exhibition complex of Moscow region "New Jerusalem"
Istra, Novo-Iyerusalimskaya Emb., 1
Authors: Agniya Sterligova, Sergey Tchoban, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Viktoria Kosareva, Alexander Larin, Nikolay Kaloshin
Graphic design: Ksenia Nam, Alexey Vinogradov
Multimedia: Radugadesign
Exposition building: MKS
Exposition lighting: Люмэкс
Photo: Ilya Ivanov
The permanent exhibition of the New Jerusalem Museum Complex presents the best examples from its collection, which began to be formed in the 1920s — also at the time when the Museum was founded on the grounds of the Monastery. The exhibition allows a broad range of visitors to learn about the history of the creation of the New Jerusalem monastery, the personality of its creator, Patriarch Nikon, the history of Russia in the 17th century, the tragic events of World War II and plans for the development of the complex’s territory.
The central exhibition hall is organized around the core of the amphitheater, which houses a multimedia installation. The to-scale model of the architectural complex is animated by video projection — mapping — synchronised with the film being shown on the wide screen above. Within a few minutes, the visitor has the opportunity to absorb the main ideas regarding the Monastery's history in an accessible, striking format and is also prepared for a detailed examination of the artifacts from the Museum’s collection.
In the niches surrounding the central core, there are groups of original exhibits that have been broken into themes. Patriarch Nikon’s personal belongings, icons, books, treasures from the sacristy of the Iversky and Resurrection monasteries, original tiles and picturesque canvases — about 450 storage units in total — reveal the innovative spirit of the place, and its role in the history and culture of the Russian state.
The individual display cases that were specially designed for each group are accompanied by traditional wall text and labeling, plus modern touchscreens with extended information allow the visitor to independently choose their level of immersion in the subject.
The central part is surrounded by two enfilades — from chambers to human-scaled halls. Four halls on the right side explore the theme of Russia in the 17th century. The left wing is reserved for the history of the Monastery and the Museum in the 20th century, as well as the present and future of New Jerusalem.