#Exhibit of the Month

Manufactured in 1902 by AG vorm Siedel & Nauman in Dresden, Germany.

Dimensions: Length - 38 cm, Width - 35 cm, Height - 20 cm. Weight - 16 kg. It entered the museum collection in 1984, transferred from the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History.

The typewriter features a standard carriage mounted on ball bearings and rollers, along with a keyboard equipped with 42 keys. These contain two complete sets of Latin and Cyrillic alphabets, punctuation marks, numbers, and mathematical symbols, enabling the typing of 126 characters. Beneath the metal casing, the type bars are arranged in a fan-like pattern, holding embossed characters and ink ribbon rollers. When the keys are pressed, the type bars strike the inked ribbon, imprinting characters onto the paper tensioned in the machine's roller system.

The side panels are elegantly decorated with refined cast-iron elements in the Art Nouveau style, displaying the brand name - "Ideal." The Polyglott model, featuring a bilingual keyboard patented in the United Kingdom by Max Klaczko from Riga, Latvia, was produced between 1902 and 1913, marking the first typewriter capable of writing in two languages. The "Ideal Polyglott" typewriter was actively sold in the Russian Empire and gained significant popularity in Poland, Bulgaria, and Serbia.
The typewriter - a mechanical device used for printing text directly onto paper - ranks among the most important inventions of the modern era, as it revolutionized communication. From the late 19th century to the early 21st century, it became an indispensable tool, widely used by writers, in offices, for business correspondence, and in private homes. The peak of typewriter sales occurred in the 1950s when the average annual sales in the United States reached 12 million units. In November 2012, the British Brother factory produced what it claimed to be the last typewriter, which was donated to the Science Museum in London.
The advent of computers, word processing software, printers, and the decreasing cost of these technologies led to the typewriter's disappearance from the mainstream market, turning it into a museum exhibit.
June 23 marks Typewriter Day, commemorating the date when American journalist and inventor Christopher Latham Sholes patented his typewriter. This day celebrates the simple yet revolutionary device that has become history, as well as the remarkable literary achievements it has enabled since 1868.

Virtual Tour

Events Archive

Festive meeting dedicated to the International Women's Day at the National Museum of History of Moldova

March 4, 2015

On the occasion of 8th March, the National Museum of History of Moldova held a cultural event titled "I kiss your hand, woman", which brought together female employees and collaborators of our institution. After the general director, dr.hab. Eugen Sava's congratulation words, all present ladies enjoyed a performance given by artistic groups of the Esthetic Education Center "Lăstărel" as a tribute of honor and appreciation.

The event was organized by Larisa Bardier, head of section at the National Museum of History of Moldova; Viorica Florea and Elena Prutean, Methodists at the Esthetic Education Center „Lăstărel". The host of the program: Octavian Graur, student in the 9th grade at the Theoretical Lyceum „Princess Natalia Dadiani", coordinator Tatiana Băcescu.

Program of the artistic show „I kiss your hand, woman"

1. The host recites the poetry „Doar femeia poate fi" by Dumitru Matcovschi.
2. Congratulation messages by the general director of the National Museum of History of Moldova, dr. hab. Eugen Sava.
3. The dance „Waltz". Performed by the Group of sport dance „Afor", coordinator Polina Afonina.
4. Music song „Georgia". Performed by Anatoli Vornicescu, singer of vocal group „Solo", coordinator Marina Grumeza, concert master Irina Bogaciova.
5. Music song „Ia-mă în lumea ta". Performed by Diana Stoica and Irina Mantaluța, singers of vocal group „Tinerețe Floare", coordinator Marcel Stoian.
6. Music song „Primăvara va veni". Performed by Corina Lupașco, singer of vocal group „Ell by Star", coordinator Nelea Lesnic, concert master Mariana Ganea.
7. Poetry „Pentru mama mea iubită". Performed by Constanța Curudimov, student at the Theoretical Lyceum „Universul".
8. Dance „Joc de sărbătoare". Performed by the group of modern dance „Boom-dance", coordinator Valentina Zagorscaia, Emeritus, concert master Olesea Samoilenco, ballet master Elena Guțu.
9. Music song „Perhaps". Performed by Anastasia Organ, singer of vocal group „Solo", coordinator Marina Grumeza.
10. Song „Куклы Сеньора Карабаса" by V. Korovițîn. Piano - Valeria Garașciuc and Maria Șubina. Professor Alla Skolskaya.
11. Dance „Quickstep". Performed by the group of sport dance „Afor", coordinator Polina Afonina.
12. Music song „Dragostea rămâne". Performed by Anastasia Organ and Anastasia Dudca, singers of vocal group „Solo", coordinator Marina Grumeza.
13. Music song „Măicuța mea". Performed by Anatolii Vornicescu, singer of vocal group „Solo", coordinator Marina Grumeza.
14. Music song „Primăvară, primăvară". Performed by vocal group „Ell by Star", coordinator Nelea Lesnic.