Military Historical Museum named after D. K. Udovikov

The Military Historical Museum named after D. K. Udovikov opened its doors to visitors on August 25, 1994. Its chronicle was created thanks to the participation of different, but equally caring people — from veterans of the Great Patriotic War to young enthusiasts. What unites them all is the memory and love for their land.

The Museum project was inspired by the Pinsk Society of Partisan Veterans, which was established in 1988 for the purpose of uniting all former partisans who had fought against the Nazi invaders in the Pinsk Partisan Formation headed by Vasili Korzh. In 1990 the district executive committee presented the society with a building, which housed the Museum of Partisan Glory (the first name of the museum) and the Board of the society. The first director was Elena Brukhan, former 2nd secretary of the Drogichin district committee of the CPB, who during the war was a partisan of the detachment named after N. Shish. After her death, from 2002 to 2003, the museum was headed by Galina Abramovich.

All veterans used their own means to repair the building, collect exhibits and create a new exposition. From the first days of its existence the museum has been a stronghold of heroic and patriotic education of the youth. There were initiations to pioneers, round tables, meetings with veterans. At that time the exposition was almost entirely devoted to the history of partisan movement in the former Pinsk region, and a small part of it was the history of the war in Afghanistan.

In December 1995 the museum was given the honorary title "National". July 17, 1998, in front of the museum was opened a memorial sign "Partisan Glory" on granite slabs which inscribed the names of the partisan units that acted during the Great Patriotic War in Drogichin and Ivanovo Districts, and the names of their commanders. In December 2000, after the death of Dmitry Udovikov, head of the Pinsk Society of Partisan Veterans, the museum was named after him.

At the moment, despite the small staff of three specialists, the Military Historical Museum named after D. K. Udovikov plays a very important role in the museum's history. The museum plays an important role in the cultural and educational activities of the district. The present staff cherish and increase the traditions established by veterans — as before, within the walls of the museum are held meetings of generations, reception of pioneers and round tables. Recently we hold visiting museum lessons and lessons of courage, which have gained great interest and popularity among students and teachers of schools of Drogichin district.

The subjects of the new exposition of the museum has been supplemented by the history of the town and the district from its foundation to the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, information about the events at the front in June 1941 and July 1944, the occupation policy of the invaders, and also the Hall of Fame, devoted to our natives - partisans, veterans and their successors. Accordingly, the subjects of the museum's excursions have been expanded.

Walking and bus tours around the city and the district, the region and the republic are very popular.

The museum funds are regularly replenished. At the moment, the main fund is more than 1,000 units of storage, and the scientific and auxiliary — more than 2,000 units. These are mainly pictures, documents, reminiscences and letters of the guerrilla veterans. The museum's collection includes personal belongings of the leaders of guerrilla movement, and samples of weapons of the Great Patriotic War.

In 2010, under the museum was created a club of historians "Local historian", which brings together history teachers and local historians. Since 2006, the museum publishes a historical and local history newspaper "Our Edge — Zagorodie".

Thus, the Military Historical Museum named after D. K. Udovikov occupies a worthy place among the museums of Belarus, develops in line with modern trends and at the same time preserves its traditions.