Near Petrogradskaya embankment of St. Petersburg, near the Nakhimov naval school, forever moored one of the most famous ships of the Russian Navy - the famous cruiser "Aurora". The ship's construction was started in 1897 on Novoadmiralteyskiy shipyard, on the water it was launched in 1900, and July, 1903 was a warship of the Russian Navy.

During the Russo-Japanese war, after a perfect transition to the far East in the composition of the 2nd Pacific squadron, the cruiser "Aurora" received its baptism of fire, participating in the battle of Tsushima in 1905. On returning to the Baltic "Aurora" for a long time was the training ship for the cadets of the Marine corps held its shipboard practice. In the period from 1906 to 1912, the cruiser went to many ports of the world, and in November 1911, His crew even took part in the solemn coronation of king of Siam in Bangkok.

During the First world war as part of the 2nd brigade of the cruiser "Aurora" was actively involved in the fighting in the Baltic, and at the end of 1916 was staged in Petrograd dock for repairs. In 1917, the crew of the "Aurora" participated in the February and the October revolution, and later in the beginning of the civil war and the struggle against foreign intervention.

In 1922-1923 by the cruiser "Aurora" was one of the first in the Baltic fleet was commissioned and became a training ship again, which until 1940 was practiced cadets of the naval schools of the city on the Neva. In 1924, the ship was awarded the Red Banner of the USSR Central Executive Committee, and in 1927 the order of the red banner.

Immediately after the beginning of the great Patriotic war, the cruiser "Aurora" came to the defense of Leningrad. The crew heroically fought as part of Peipus flotilla, and then near the outskirts of the city, near crow mountain, than added a new glorious page in naval history. During the years of the siege of Leningrad, "Aurora" was in the port of Oranienbaum under regular enemy bombing and shelling. The hull has received numerous holes, took on Board too much water and therefore sat on the ground. In 1944, after the blockade, the cruiser lifted from the ground and put it on the repair.

In 1948 the cruiser "Aurora" was staged at the Petrogradskaya embankment of Leningrad, and until 1956 was the training base of the Leningrad Nakhimov naval school. Since 1956 Aurora is a branch of the Central naval Museum was opened here the Ship Museum. In 45 years of its existence as a Museum ship took on Board more than 28 million visitors from more than 160 countries.

In the Museum exposition the ship is now about a thousand pieces. This authentic documents, flags and banners of the ship, awards and photographs of crew members, paintings, all kinds of gifts for military, governmental and public organizations.