The icebreaker "Krasin" was built in the United Kingdom between 1916 and 1917. Originally named "Svyatogor," it was renamed "Krasin" in 1927 in honor of the famous revolutionary Leonid Borisovich Krasin. Leonid Borisovich was, among other roles, the general representative of Siemens in Russia.
Tour of the Ship's Heart
We covered how to get to the museum in the first part of our article.
Engine room tours are conducted on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 PM and on weekends at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. The cost of an adult ticket (for a group tour) is 400 rubles (as of fall 2018).
We began our ship tour by immediately ascending to the deck. Here, you can read a brief history of the vessel or view the real ship's anchor. Also nearby is the under-construction nuclear icebreaker "Arktika," which is clearly visible from the "Krasin."
After purchasing your ticket, you need to sign the safety log. After that, a staff member gathers all participants on the deck, and the journey to the heart of the ship begins.
The first stage of the tour is the engine room. Here, you can see one of the three German-made steam engines. Only one has been preserved; the other two were replaced with turbo generators. The engine was produced in 1957.
One level below, through transparent plastic partitions, you can peek inside the preserved engine. Here, various engine control elements, a communication device, and a small stand dedicated to the history of maritime communication are located.
The next room is at the base of the aforementioned turbo generators. After their installation in 1972, "Krasin" was reclassified from an icebreaker to a research vessel and used by the USSR Ministry of Geology.
In this same room, you can see a watertight bulkhead that separates compartments. In case of damage to the ship, each compartment can be isolated, thereby preventing the flooding of the entire vessel. Many of us know about bulkhead operations from James Cameron's film "Titanic."
The next exhibit is the desalination machine, the hull of which has been preserved since the ship's construction. You can also see a stand dedicated to one of the main technical spaces on the ship—the boiler room.
In the following rooms is the boiler department. Here, numerous measuring instruments and the actual boilers are installed. The hatch of one of them is open, allowing visitors to look inside.
The fascinating tour concludes as we return to the deck and leave the ship. By the way, we have already written about the museum ship "Bespokoyny." It is located in Kronstadt, and deck access is free.
In summary:
- An interesting and unique tour;
- Opportunity to see unique exhibits up close;
- Age restrictions apply: the official website states that the minimum age for the tour is 14 years.
- Part 1. Museum of the Icebreaker "Krasin". Overview Tour
