The compilation of the collections of the Military History Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Signal Corps started in the 1960s. Its first exhibits were models of weapon developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov and documents about his life and work. In 2003, the collection grew considerably thanks to the objects handed over to the museum by Mikhail Timofeyevich himself.
Now, the museum owns the world’s largest collection of weapons created by Mikhail Kalashnikov, his personal belongings, documents, and photos. Some models have been manufactured without copies: for example, the model of the only 7.62 mm self-loading rifle dated 1944; AK-47 with serial number 1; a 5.45 mm AK-74 that is in service since 1974. There are also machine guns produced in many other countries, from Finland to China, designed on the basis of the AK.
Mikhail Timofeyevich was born in the village of Kurya in Altai on the 10th of November of 1919. In 1939, he was called up for military service. When the Great Patriotic War started, he was already driving a tank as a senior sergeant. While lying wounded in the hospital, the future engineer was already thinking of radically improved automatics for light weapons. That was in autumn of 1941.
He designed the machine pistol in 1942. At that time, there were already some technical ideas that over time were implemented in innovative designs. AK-47, recognized the best machine gun in the world, was created in 1947. Various versions of the Kalashnikov machine gun are used in 50 countries. Now, there are at least 100 million AKs in the world. At the exhibition, one can learn much about the weapon as well as about its creator.
Mikhail Kalashnikov had many talents: he was an inventor, a writer, a laureate of many awards and a social activist. Here, you can see books by Kalashnikov: From A Stranger’s Doorstep To The Kremlin Gates, The Arms Designer Notes, as well as his poems and photos.
The touch monitor equipped with special software will help you trace the history of invention and modernization of Kalashnikov’s automatic weapons. On a special table, you can mount and dismount models of PRK and AK-74. The laser shooting gallery will help the visitors feel like 21st century fighters.
Now, the museum owns the world’s largest collection of weapons created by Mikhail Kalashnikov, his personal belongings, documents, and photos. Some models have been manufactured without copies: for example, the model of the only 7.62 mm self-loading rifle dated 1944; AK-47 with serial number 1; a 5.45 mm AK-74 that is in service since 1974. There are also machine guns produced in many other countries, from Finland to China, designed on the basis of the AK.
Mikhail Timofeyevich was born in the village of Kurya in Altai on the 10th of November of 1919. In 1939, he was called up for military service. When the Great Patriotic War started, he was already driving a tank as a senior sergeant. While lying wounded in the hospital, the future engineer was already thinking of radically improved automatics for light weapons. That was in autumn of 1941.
He designed the machine pistol in 1942. At that time, there were already some technical ideas that over time were implemented in innovative designs. AK-47, recognized the best machine gun in the world, was created in 1947. Various versions of the Kalashnikov machine gun are used in 50 countries. Now, there are at least 100 million AKs in the world. At the exhibition, one can learn much about the weapon as well as about its creator.
Mikhail Kalashnikov had many talents: he was an inventor, a writer, a laureate of many awards and a social activist. Here, you can see books by Kalashnikov: From A Stranger’s Doorstep To The Kremlin Gates, The Arms Designer Notes, as well as his poems and photos.
The touch monitor equipped with special software will help you trace the history of invention and modernization of Kalashnikov’s automatic weapons. On a special table, you can mount and dismount models of PRK and AK-74. The laser shooting gallery will help the visitors feel like 21st century fighters.
The exhibition was named Mikhail Kalashnikov: Man, Weapon, Legend for a reason. For over 50 years Kalashnikov’s name has been a symbol of the best light weapon in the world and the pride of our country.
