Arctic past: the scientific Christmas tree of the Polytechnic Museum opened in Moscow

The traditional scientific Christmas tree of the Polytechnic Museum has opened in Moscow, the first visitors of which were children from an orphanage. This year it is dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Sulfur Sea Route: according to the scenario, the children were waiting for a trip to the Arctic, acquaintance with polar explorers and a message from the legendary explorer Otto Schmidt. The Christmas tree has been held for the third year in a row at the site of the Museum of Modern History of Russia, the exhibits of which successfully fit into the plot of the event. You can visit it until January 11th.

Opening of the Northern Sea Route

In Moscow, the Museum of Modern Russian History on Tverskaya Street hosted a scientific Christmas tree of the Polytechnic Museum, the first guests of which were the children of the orphanage. The event is dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the development of the Northern Sea Route: according to the scenario, the children went to the North Pole, immersed themselves in the atmosphere of the first Soviet scientific research drifting station Papanintsev, visited the decks of the steamships Chelyuskin and Sedov, conducted research in the conditions of the modern ice-resistant platform SP-41, collected a polar explorer's bag and got acquainted with important stages of Arctic exploration.

— It has become a good tradition for the Museum of Modern History of Russia and the Polytechnic Museum to organize New Year's scientific trees. They are not ordinary and are associated with memorable dates in our history. This year it's the Arctic. And our exhibits will tell about its discoverers," said Nadezhda Tsareva, Deputy General Director of the Museum of Modern History of Russia for Scientific and educational work.

First, the children took part in master classes at the intellectual development center, after which they went to the halls of the museum. There they saw a mock—up of the first nuclear icebreaker Lenin, costumes of polar explorers and the national flag raised over the Antarctic station Vostok, where a record low temperature of minus 89 degrees was recorded in the 20th century. In addition, the participants of the event were shown the costume of the oceanographer and famous scientist Artur Chilingarov, the specialist said.

— Our main target audience is children from six to 10 years old. We offer them a real quest. These are interactive classes where they do a lot with their own hands. Children travel to the Arctic both in time and space. They are conducting various experiments at our "stations". They get salt and fresh water, and make wind turbines. There is no permanent electricity in permafrost conditions, so we are learning to generate it ourselves. We are also studying the flag alphabet used by the sailors," said Elizaveta Sugonyaeva, head of children's and family programs at the Polytechnic Museum.

At the end of the Arctic trip, children will hear a "message" from the legendary traveler Otto Schmidt, which was generated using AI.

— I am an assistant to the presenters and my role is to bring an artifact — a vinyl record with a recording of Otto Yurievich Schmidt's address. Santa Claus and I are putting on this record together and listening to a message from him to the future. It's about Arctic exploration and the importance of always moving forward. Then the children themselves are marked in the Arctic Encyclopedia, and then they receive gifts," said Ivan Gloshukov, a specialist at the Polytechnic Museum.

After completing the quest, all the children received gifts.

— I really enjoyed the tour. Especially when we were making a device for measuring wind and a gift — a book and a box. I haven't had time to open it yet," confessed eight—year-old Masha.

A good tradition

The scientific Christmas trees of the Polytechnic Museum are a long—standing tradition. The first one was held in 1944, Dmitry Kozhanov, Director General of the Polytechnic Museum, told Izvestia.

— We have been holding scientific Christmas trees for more than 80 years. Today we are completing 2025, the year of the 500th anniversary of the opening of the Northern Sea Route, so the event is dedicated to the Arctic. This is the third year that we have been holding it at the Museum of Modern History of Russia. This event gives children faith in miracles and awakens interest in science, which is especially important in our age of high technology, when high-quality scientific and technical education becomes the basis for prosperity and competitiveness of our society. We hope that next time the Christmas tree will be held in the main building of the Polytechnic Museum," he said.

In 2024, the participants of the program were transported back to the past and, together with the heroes, celebrated the coming victorious year of 1945 for our country, Nadezhda Tsareva recalled.

— This time, in the year of the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the development of the Northern Sea Route, we celebrate the New Year in the harsh but beautiful Arctic, a region of special importance to our country and the whole world. Now our young viewers have the opportunity to plunge into the atmosphere of eternal ice and the history of scientific discoveries on drifting stations and icebreakers," she said.

The holiday was made possible, among other things, thanks to the support of the T1 IT holding.

— Engineers are not born, they become them. Engineering Christmas trees are a wonderful project that involves children from an early age in the engineering world. It is important for us to support initiatives that arouse children's curiosity and desire to learn new things," said Yulia Davydova, Director of Marketing and Brand Communications at T1 IT Holding.

The Christmas tree will be held at the Museum of Modern History of Russia until January 11.