According to Mishechkina, Russia perceives detailed permafrost studies as extremely topical because permafrost regions account for up to 60% of the country's territory. Permafrost is also referred to as the "icy Sphinx".
In her words, it would have been impossible to build the city of Norilsk (220 km north-east of Igarka) without such research. Norilsk, which has a population of about 300,000, is the world's largest city above the Polar Circle.
Virtually all local high-rise buildings rest above the ground on piles. This method leaves permafrost virtually intact, preventing any thaws (that may cause buildings to settle down) and possible damage.
They began to establish the permafrost museum in March 1965 on the basis of the Igarka research station's numerous underground chambers. That station was headed by Alexander Pchelintsev, D. Sc. (Mineralogy) for many consecutive years.
Right now, this museum is located inside several large premises (the total area is 150 square meters) at a depth of up to ten meters.
The museum's specialists maintain permanent temperatures, never switching on bright lamps, which may heat up the air. Small groups of tourists, who stay here for only a short time, are asked not to breathe, Mishechkina noted.
However, they have enough time to admire permafrost on museum-premise walls and various exhibits, she added.
The museum's ice-sample collection rivets the eye. Norwegian scientists have recently established that some of these ice samples are 50,000 years old. The museum also offers specimens of Arctic flora and fauna, ancient wood samples, book and newspaper collections and lots more.
Tourists sailing down the Yenisei in summer are not the only ones to come here. Canadian and Scandinavian scientists, as well as those from many other countries, visit the museum on a regular basis. In 2002 the Igarka museum was included in the European museum forum's catalog, receiving a diploma for its outstanding achievements.
