History of collections

The history of the Mongolian collections is almost three hundred years long and dates to the times of the Kunstkamera foundation (18th century); the first objects arrived to the Museum at Peter I times. The MAE possesses a collection with elements of Buddhist monks’ clothes that was collected by a famous 18th century researcher, member of the Academy of Sciences, P.S. Pallas.

In the 19th century the Museum was enriched with a number of collections on Mongolian culture. Among them are collections of Khlebnikov, D.A. Klements, and barony Shilling von Kanstadt. In the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century the MAE received 12 collections from merchant G.M. Osokin; 2 collections were received from A.A. Lushnikov. In the beginning of the 20th century a number of Mongolian exhibits were given to the Museum by prominent orientalists: member of the Academy S.F. Oldenburg, B.Ya. Vladimirtsov, A.D. Rudnev, A.D. Klements, A.V. Burdukov. Large valuable collections were given to the MAE by the Hermitage, the Asian Museum, and the Berlin Museum of Folk Art. In the second half of the 20th century many valuable exhibits were brought from Mongolia by the Museum members of staff L.L. Viktorova and A.M. Reshetov. Mongolian scientists have also taken part in enriching the Museum’s collections. Thus, member of the Academy B. Rinchen donated a unique collection – a complete costume of a Darkhat female shaman.

Model of tent. Mongolia. Mongols. Mid 20th cent..		Chess piece. Mongolia. The Mongols. 20th century.		Chess board. Mongolia. The Mongols. 20th century.