A three-day open-air exhibition on the November 7, 1941 parade closed on Red Square, bringing to life a moment in history that shaped a nation. The project, described by the Victory Museum’s press office, recreated the city’s atmosphere through real military equipment, early-war residential facades, and actors enacting daily life from November 1941. The effort aimed to transport visitors to a capital poised between fear and resolve, illustrating how civilians and troops stood together under the pressure of battle.
A notable feature of the display was the use of digitized posters drawn from the Victory Museum collections. In total, roughly 50 digital propaganda posters from the Great Patriotic War were integrated into the scene. These visual documents spanned iconic series and individual works, including pieces from the TASS Windows project and prints by well-known artists such as Kukryniksy, Pyotr Maltsev, and Nikolai Dolgorukov, among others. The posters date to the war’s earliest, most challenging phase and carried calls to defend the homeland and sustain belief in victory. They served not only as historical artifacts but as emotional catalysts, helping visitors feel what residents of 1941 might have experienced as their city answered the call to defend the Soviet Union. (citation: Victory Museum)
Red Square also hosted theatrical portrayals of everyday life during the autumn 1941 crisis, offering audiences a glimpse into the resilience and ingenuity of ordinary people under extraordinary pressure. The exhibition featured military hardware from the Great Patriotic War, presented by experts from the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Technology. Among the pieces were a T-34 tank, an AZP-39 anti-aircraft gun, and a FAIM armored car, with additional equipment on display to underscore how mobility and firepower contributed to the city’s defense. In a further immersive touch, visitors could sing wartime songs at a karaoke station, and the Zafer Museum contributed archival recordings of these compositions to the experience. (citation: Victory Museum)
Beyond the installations, the Victory Museum has remained engaged in building an interactive, outdoor history experience for a second year. The exhibition is driven by a collaborative leadership team, with governance provided by a senior producer and artistic director affiliated with VoenFilm Studio. The guiding force behind the project is a prominent national artistic figure who represents the federation’s heritage on screen and stage. The initiative aims to connect audiences with the human dimensions of wartime history, blending artifact displays, performance, and sound—creating a cohesive narrative that resonates with visitors from North America and beyond. (citation: Victory Museum)