The history of The State Memorial Museum of Leningrad Defense and the Siege began in December 1943 when the military Council of Leningrad Front adopted the decision to organize the exhibition "Heroic Defense of Leningrad".

    Within a short period of time a great deal of work was done by artist's architects, historians, many of whom were especially commissioned from the active sections of the front. The exhibition was open on the 30th of April 1944, and in January 1946 it was reorganized as the Museum of Leningrad Defense. The exhibits of the museum, numbered 37 654 pieces, were exposed in 37 halls the total area of which was about 40 000 m2.

    The exhibition circumstantially elucidated the Leningrad battle, the activities of troops to break and remor the blockade, hard 900 days of the siege, the heroic labor of the workers of plants and factories.

    In 1949 visitor were not allowed any more to the museum upon the pretext of the reconstruction of the halls, and in March 1953 the museum was completely liquidated in connection of the so called "Leningrad trial".

    In 1988 war and labor veterans, survivors of the siege, writers, artists, journalists raised their voices for the defense of the devastated museum. The museum was again open on the 8th of September 1989. Nowadays its name is State Memorial Museum of Leningrad Defense and the Siege.

    The visitors get acquainted with the permanent display "The history of Leningrad Defense and the Siege".