The exposition is located in a two-level hall, which shows the architectural features of the building - a fragment of the wall and the foundation of the late 18th century.
The hall presents objects and documentary materials related to the creation of cities, the development of Petrozavodsk, and with the personality of the first governor, G.R. Derzhavin, and also the archaeological finds made on the territory of the museum building, the former governor's house.
The emergence of the Olonets Governorate was facilitated by the development of the mining industry in the region, the strengthening of the state border and remoteness from large administrative centers of the North-West of the empire.
In 1776, instead of the Olonets county, the Novgorod’ vicegerency was formed, consisting of two provinces - Olonets and Novgorod. In 1781, the Olonets province was annexed to the St. Petersburg province, and in 1784 its status was increased - the Olonets vicegerency was created as a governorate.
By decree of Paul I in 1796, the governorship was liquidated and became part of the Novgorod Governorate. In 1801, by decree of Alexander I, the Olonets Governorate was restored and existed until 1922.
Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin was appointed the first governor of the Olonets Governorate. During the years of his ruling (1784-1785) the administrative, judicial and financial authorities were created in the province.
The exposition presents a copy of the decree on the establishment of the governorship, copies of the plans of the capital and county towns, a view of Petrozavodsk in the middle of the 19th century, etc.
Petrozavodsk, the capital of the province, was gradually built up and turned into the administrative center of the region. In the 1770-1780s the architectural ensemble of the Round Square was created, which became the location of the provincial authorities.
The exposition, located on the lower floor of the hall, is dedicated to the history of the Round Square. Here you can see a collection of items collected during the repair and restoration of buildings in 2002-2009, "By the highest decree.", the foundation of the Olonets Governorate in the late 18th - early 19th centuries, and the architectural drawings made by a group of architects led by Boris Gnedovsky in 1951-1952.
Multimedia programs show how the
square has changed over the two centuries of its existence.
