Omsk history        Omsk Drama Theater

In 1716 a fortress was built on the bank of river Om to protect Siberia from nomads. Later, under the rule of the tsar Alexander it became a new city.

 Like most of the Siberian cities, the history of Omsk is inseparable from the history of political exile. In the XIX century deported Decembrists and other political prisoners had a great influence on the Siberian society of the time, since they were open-minded and well-educated people. That eventually determined high cultural level of the city.

A great Russian writer, F.M. Dostoyevsky spent four years in exile from 1850 to 1854 in a Siberian camp. This experience had a great impact on his further works. During this time in Siberia he wrote his "Notes from the Dead House"

Dostoyevsky Museum was established here in 1983.

During the riots of 1918 following the abolishment of Russian Constituent Assembly, some of its members fled to Omsk to form a new government headed by Admiral Kolchak. The city even became a capital for a short period of time, until the Soviets took over.

During WWII Omsk became a strong home front, receiving more than a hundred industrial and defense plants. The Omsk Drama Theater gave shelter for a company of The Vakhtangov Theater, which definitely influenced the future development of the Omsk Theater.

 There are a total of 8 theaters in our city, such as Omsk Drama Theater, Musical Theater, Theater of Young Spectator, Puppet Theater "Arlekin" (Harlequin), Chamber "Pyaty Teatr" (Fifth Theater), Yermolayeva Theater "Studia", and the unique "Litsey", where all actors are between 6-16 years of age. Omsk theaters were awarded 9 "Golden Masks", a prestigious National Theater Award.

Omsk has several museums; Vrubel Museum of Fine Arts is one of the most famous. Its collection includes unique paintings, icons, and works of the famous Russian avant-garde painters.

According to the population census of January 1, 2006, 1 138 822 citizens live in the city