New Moscow Library

Okay, so libraries in Moscow may not be on your top ten list of places to visit. Or your top 20 for that matter. But this is a unique one that has just opened, so maybe you'll thank me for telling you about it, especially if you are headed to Russia in the near future.

Last week, the Moscow Times had an in-depth feature about the Russian Abroad Foundation Library. This new library and cultural center is dedicated to the history of Russian emigration and houses the stories of those who were forced to live around the world because of the Bolshevik Revolution. Over 3 million Russians fled their country, and the library seeks to keep the heritage and history of this population safely preserved. With the fall of the Soviet Union, many journals, documents and letters that had been collected privately were able to be gathered together for public review.

Officials say that besides serving as a home for the extensive archive, the center will also publish books, host conferences and produce documentary films. Topics such as "The Exodus of the Russian Army and "Russian emigre filmmaking of the 1920s" are mentioned in the article. It sounds like an excellent place to stop if you're a history buff visiting Moscow.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning