Well Lit Interiors of the Haerbin Architectural Art Museum 哈尔滨建筑艺术馆
In contrast to most Chinese cities, Haerbin traces much of its well documented history in its dealings with foreigners, Russians in particular. The impact of the Russians in Haerbin as a city cannot be understated as it is continued to show up even in its sparkling new condominiums which sprout like mushrooms across the city. The ones which are standing have been elevated to the status of architectural heritage. However, it is still fascinating to see how Haerbin was back in the days when the Russians were still dominant in this region.
Wall of Historical Architecture in Haerbin 哈尔滨
There were photographs from the time of the Russians which show how people lived back then. The clothes of the people look surprisingly Westernized and one wouldn’t think that they were looking at China. Then again, a look at modern China now and you probably won’t be able to say the same thing. The Russian way of life was instilled into Haerbin’s society and it shows in the photos. They even have ballet, which I would associate more with Russia than China. Transport revolved primarily on the railroad and there were numerous photos of people along the railroad in more European clothes.
Another Scale Model of a Russian Inspired Structure in Haerbin
The museum is probably a nice visit when in Haerbin however, the exhibits here are a bit underwhelming. Most of the exhibits are photos and then there are the scale models. Other than that, there isn’t really much to see here inside the museum. While the inside isn’t really that bad, it won’t win any awards anytime soon as it is rather empty and uninspired in contrast with its magnificent exterior. If you have been to any European churches then you will probably be unimpressed with this one. There isn’t much to see in the city of Haerbin but this is one of the places to be in when visiting this northern China city.
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