Seversk: City History, Theater and Zoo

• Seversk’s city museum opened in 1987 and has more than 130,000 collection items.
• The municipal theaters stage up to ten premieres each year.
• Seversk Zoo takes part in regional and international conservation programs for rare and endangered bird and mammal species.
• The Museum of the History of the Siberian Chemical Combine features an exhibition on the combine’s founding, development and current activities.
• The Sever Music Theater is also one of Seversk’s attractions.

The city museum and the Museum of the History of the Siberian Chemical Combine offer different perspectives. The city museum’s opening in 1987 and collection of more than 130,000 items give you an initial sense of its long history and scale. The collection size is a concrete point of reference, while the exhibition on the combine focuses on a clearly defined topic.

This exhibition covers the combine’s founding, its stages of development and its current activities. Exhibits include equipment models, some of which are functional, as well as instruments and equipment parts. The exhibition was updated in 2009. Those interested in industrial history will find both an overview of the timeline and objects that illustrate technical working methods.

The performing arts are represented by the municipal theaters, which stage up to ten premieres each year, and by the Sever Music Theater, listed as an attraction. The number of premieres describes an annual practice; it does not provide a specific performance schedule. If a theater visit is important to your trip, check current performances in advance.

The zoo offers a different focus: it participates in international and regional programs to protect rare and endangered birds and mammals. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between theater and museum themes on the one hand and wildlife conservation on the other. When looking for hotels in Seversk, you can first consider which of these interests will be the main focus of your trip.

Looking beyond Seversk to the broader destination of Tomsk Oblast reveals more regional attractions. The 27-kilometer “Zov bolotnoy tishiny” route is in Bakcharsky District and combines travel by swamp vehicle with hiking. It is intended for visitors aged 12 to 70. Excursions require advance booking and staff accompaniment; confirm current arrangements with the reserve before your trip.

The “Chumel Chvech” museum introduces visitors to the culture and everyday life of the southern Selkup group; visits are by prior arrangement. The dwellings and everyday structures on display include a half-dugout with a pyramidal roof, used until the 17th century, and the log house known as “chulmat.” Other examples include a clay oven, raised granaries and a Russian log house with a vegetable garden. These examples give the regional perspective a different focus from Seversk’s museums.

At the “Okolitsa” nature park, visitors can view the works of craftspeople throughout the year. Special event spaces showcase traditions shaped, among others, by Russian, Tatar, Chinese, Uzbek and Selkup cultures. The park is a traditional venue for the “Prazdnik Topora” festival, held in Tomsk Oblast since 2008. The festival includes four crafts competitions, a decorative and applied arts fair, and a concert program. Dates and program vary from year to year.

Discover more destinations: Tomsk, Asino, Rodionovo, Kaftanchikovo, Barabinka, Bogashevo, Semiluzhki, Strezhevoy.

How large is the city museum’s collection?

Seversk’s city museum, which opened in 1987, has more than 130,000 collection items.

What does the Museum of the History of the Siberian Chemical Combine show?

The exhibition covers the combine’s founding, stages of development and current activities. Exhibits include equipment models, some of which are functional, instruments and equipment parts.

How many premieres do the municipal theaters stage?

Seversk’s municipal theaters stage up to ten premieres each year.

What should you know about the “Zov bolotnoy tishiny” route?

The 27-kilometer route through the swamps of Bakcharsky District in Tomsk Oblast combines travel by swamp vehicle with hiking and is intended for visitors aged 12 to 70. Excursions require advance booking and staff accompaniment; confirm current arrangements with the reserve.

For the broader travel overview: Tomsk Oblast.