Novosibirsk Exhibition Celebrates Metro's 40th Anniversary
An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of the Novosibirsk metro opened at the city«s Art Museum on January 27. It showcases over 100 artifacts connected to the system»s construction history. NGS reporters attended the opening to explore the displays.
The entire exhibition, titled «40 Years with the Metro» (0+), is housed in one small hall, featuring paintings, sculptures, gifts presented to the metro, and numerous newspaper clippings. The clippings are particularly interesting, with interviews of architects describing how the stations were designed. At the opening, Novosibirsk Vice Mayor Iosif Kodalaev spoke, recalling how he witnessed the metro«s inauguration.
『Forty years ago, the Novosibirsk underground opened its doors to passengers. And I was one of the first passengers. I was five years old, and I still remember those feelings, the most beautiful turquoise viaduct. By the way, we need to restore the historical color. That memory largely predetermined my fate. As a result, in 2003, I graduated from the Siberian State University of Railway Transport (SGUPS) with a specialization in tunnels and the metro,』said Iosif Kodalaev.
In addition to documents, the exhibition includes works of painting and graphics. For example, a diptych by Mikhail Ombysh-Kuznetsov titled «Metro for Novosibirsk,» painted in 1985, is on display.
『Novosibirsk lived in anticipation of the metro«s opening. The metro construction became part of my life as well, with the first line covering the route from my home to the studio. I had long ago walked underground through all the sections and stations, observing the construction from the first pile to the marble cladding,』the artist said at the time.
Collectors gathered around a board with tokens that were used in the Novosibirsk metro over the years. One man shared how he searched for one such token on a classified ads website.
At the exhibition opening, the head of the Novosibirsk Metro, Arkady Chmikhailo, also spoke.
『I came to Novosibirsk in 2007 for military service. When I was being briefed for service in Novosibirsk, my superiors in the border service in Moscow told me: «It»s a big, beautiful city with great prospects, and it even has a metro.« At that time, I didn»t even think or imagine that I would head this wonderful enterprise, and it is a great honor for me,』Arkady Chmikhailo concluded his welcoming remarks.
A ticket to the exhibition costs 600 rubles (approximately $7 at current rates). There are discounted tickets at 500 rubles (about $6) for schoolchildren, students, pensioners, and people with disabilities. The exhibition also participates in the «Pushkin Card» program.
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