Why is there a museum in Irkutsk on a landfill?
Museum in a dump, what on the Aleksandrovsky tract near IrkutskUntil recently, it was the only one in the world. Foreigners adopted the idea, and now a similar museum has opened in Dresden.
A former landfill director opened a "Museum at the Dump" Alexander RastorguevBack in 2015, he started collecting They create unusual objects and make sculptures from metal, plastic, and wood. The first "exhibit" was the entrance gate to the landfill: it's designed like a fort with towers topped by knights and dragons. Immediately beyond are life-size warships with loopholes and cannons, mounted and dismounted knights, and ranks of orcs and centaurs. There are also aliens from outer space, robots, and other fantasy characters that children admire. Adults, meanwhile, are delighted by the hangar with Soviet televisions and radios, records, and sideboards filled with dishes. The museum also has an exhibit dedicated to World War II.
According to Rastorguev, the idea came from his Soviet childhood: back then, it was customary to treat things with care and repair them until the last minute. The museum works Open daily, the entrance fee is purely symbolic: 100 rubles for children and 200 for adults. It is visited by both locals and tourists from different cities and countries.
The museum is a shining example of caring for objects and giving them a second life. But a museum in a landfill also has its downside. Landfill gases are dangerous for visitors, as any landfill has a hazard classification. Irkutsk authorities tried to solve A dilemma arose: either close and reclaim the landfill, or move the museum to a safer location. However, the issue has been put on hold. Nothing has been heard about landfill reclamation, and some exhibits, due to their impressive size, cannot be moved elsewhere. The museum at the landfill continues its operations. Meanwhile, Irkutsk residents complain about the landfill itself: it spreads an odor for kilometers around, and due to operational violations, it is constantly spontaneously ignites.
Photo: KP-Irkutsk
