In April, 2001, on the 40th anniversary of Y. Gagarin’s flight the exposition “The Space Odyssey” was opened aboard the vessel. The exhibition has given a start to creation of a museum exposition which contains V. Patsaev ship’s museum, a hall “Fellow-townsmen Astronauts”, a hall of national astronautics history and A. Leonov, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

The exhibitions “The Ocean from Space” and “The 40th Anniversary of the Flight into Infinity” dedicated to the astronaut A. Leonov and the international programme “EPAS” are presented aboard the vessel.

“Three Elements of the Star Flotilla” dedicated to the history of floating measuring control state complex was opened in 2006. The three elements – the Space, the Ocean and the Earth – united ships of the space flotilla in serving the common goal – exploration of other worlds… Words of the academician B. Chertok serve as an epigraph to the exhibition: “Neglected and misinterpreted history of astronautics causes gaps in human culture and may lead to a nonoptimal way of civilization development”.

Owing to the famous scientist, mathematician, geodesist and astronomer Frederick William Bessel Koenigsberg was deservedly thought to be the Astronomic Capital of Europe. It was he who had measured the distance to a star for the first time.

Scientist’s life was full of complicated circumstances and unusual situations, but it was life that was leading him to his greatest discovery. You can learn about how the scientist has managed to make this discovery by visiting the exhibition “Stars Are so Far”. Scientist’s portraits, picture of the house where he was born, images of the observatory and his room are presented for your attention. You will also feel like a discoverer when you watch the 61st star (Frederick Bessel has first measured the distance to this star) in the constellation of Cygnus through that twice-reduced Koenigsberg heliometer. And then, captured by the power of the Universe secrets as Bessel was you will see all the beauty of the starry sky in the planetarium aboard the vessel.

The exhibition “Stars Are so Far” was kindly passed to the museum by pupils and workers of F.W. Bessel gymnasium (Minden, Germany) and that is why we have an opportunity to learn more about life of the great astronomer.