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#Exhibit of the Month

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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.

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Events Archive

Opening of the Exhibition "Chișinău at the Red Line"

November 8, 2024

On November 8, 2024, the National Museum of History of Moldova hosted the opening of the documentary exhibition "Chișinău at the Red Line," an initiative that offers the public a profound perspective on the urban heritage of Chișinău and the civic intervention required to protect it. This event, part of a broader project carried out in partnership with the Association for Culture and Arts Arbor and the Arbor Institute for Culture, brought together representatives from the cultural community and civil society to explore both the history and vulnerabilities of the city's architecture.

In his opening speech, the museum's general director, Dr. Eugen Sava, emphasized the crucial role of the museum in promoting and protecting urban heritage and praised the collaboration with civic organizations to draw attention to Chișinău's iconic buildings and monuments. Dr. Sava remarked that this initiative provides the public with the opportunity to reflect on the importance of preserving historic architecture as an integral part of the city's cultural identity.

Project manager Victoria Nagy Vajda highlighted the team's efforts and the commitment of the partners in documenting buildings and public spaces threatened by various urban pressures. "Chișinău at the Red Line," in her words, "is a visual and documentary testimony of the current state of our heritage and a call for collective mobilization to preserve what defines us culturally and historically." The exhibition reflects the intense research work and ongoing dialogue with members of the scientific community, artists, and activists who are fighting to protect historical spaces.


Activist Vitalie Sprânceană spoke about the importance of civil society's involvement in defending architectural heritage, reminding that these buildings and spaces are part of the city's cultural identity and must be protected not only for ourselves but also for future generations. In his words, "Chișinău at the Red Line is more than an exhibition - it is a call to action, an invitation for each of us to contribute to heritage conservation and to be mindful of how the city develops."

The exhibition, open to the public until December 8, 2024, presents a wide selection of documentary materials, collages of historical and contemporary photographs, informative panels, artifacts, and video recordings. These offer visitors a comprehensive view of the current state of Chișinău's urban heritage, showcasing both recent developments and the challenges it faces. The exhibition aims to raise public awareness and promote an active dialogue about the importance and vulnerability of these historical spaces.

The exhibition "Chișinău at the Red Line" will be open from November 8 to December 8, 2024, in Hall 4 of the National Museum of History of Moldova, Chișinău, 31 August 1989 Street, 121A.



 

 


Independent Moldova
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic
Bessarabia and MASSR between the Two World Wars
Bessarabia and Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Period between the Two World Wars
Revival of National Movement
Time of Reforms and their Consequences
Abolition of Autonomy. Bessarabia – a New Tsarist Colony
Period of Relative Autonomy of Bessarabia within the Russian Empire
Phanariot Regime
Golden Age of the Romanian Culture
Struggle for Maintaining of Independence of Moldova
Formation of Independent Medieval State of Moldova
Era of the
Great Nomad Migrations
Early Middle Ages
Iron Age and Antiquity
Bronze Age
Aeneolithic Age
Neolithic Age
Palaeolithic Age
  
  

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#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...

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The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

 



The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

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The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC