Unique books, maps and atlases from I. F. Krusenstern's personal library - at the Presidential Library new exhibition

March 5, 2018, the Presidential Library hosted the grand opening of the exhibition "The Way Not Experienced Before by the Russians": to the 215th anniversary of the beginning of the first Russian round-the-world expedition".

As it was mentioned, the events dedicated to the Russian fleet, its feats and fame became traditional for the Presidential Library, which is located near the Admiralty - the Main Staff of the Navy of our country.

The exposition, elaborated jointly with the Central Naval Library, tells about the world tour of I. F. Krusenstern and Y. F. Lisyansky, as well as the history of the formation of interstate relations between Russia and Japan in the XVIII-XIX centuries.

Visitors of the exhibition in the Presidential Library have a unique opportunity to get familiar with rare editions from the personal library of I. F. Krusenstern. According to the scientific consultant of the exhibition, the head of the department of recruitment and processing of the CICM Olga Fyodorova, the publications were actually first presented to the general public, since the transfer of the Krusenstern library to the VCB in 1915, only a limited number of readers had access to it. "This is a very interesting collection. I. F. Krusenstern began to collect it as a young lieutenant, traveling on different ports of the world. Every book he always marked - he wrote the year and the place of acquisition", - said Olga Fyodorova. Thanks to these notices, the VCBB staff managed to establish which books accompanied I. F. Krusenstern and helped him in the first Russian round-the-world voyage, they formed the basis of the exposition.

The exhibition of the Presidential Library also introduces the history of establishing diplomatic relations between the Russian Empire and the Land of the Rising Sun during the XVIII-XIX centuries, through documents from the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Empire of the Foreign Ministry and the Presidential Library collections. Thus, the first diplomatic agreement between Russia and Japan is presented in the exposition - the Treaty of Shimoda, which for the first time established a border between the countries, trade relations and proclaimed "a permanent peace and sincere friendship". In addition, the exhibition presents unique drawings, thanks to which you can look at Russia through the eyes of subjects of the Japanese emperor who have visited our country.

The partners of the exhibition were the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Empire of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and the M. Gorky Scientific Library of the St. Petersburg State University.

The exhibition will run until August 20, 2018. To visit the exposition, you should first pre-register by phone (812) 334-25-14 or send an email to: excursion@prlib.ru.