Grodno. Museum of prison life.

The idea of creating this unusual museum originated in 2003 after the publication of a book by Vyacheslav Lisitsyn, who held the position of librarian in the prison, in which he described the history of the Grodno prison since 1939. The exhibits have been collected for several years from all over Belarus. Prison staff and veterans helped to collect material for the exhibition.  The creators of the museum worked very closely with the staff of the Historical and Archaeological Museum of Grodno. Copies of many of the prisoners' household items were made to order here. These are very high-quality copies.  There are many reproductions, photographs, and photocopies of important documents on the walls.

The museum's exposition is conditionally divided into several sections. One of them highlights the history of the institution, starting from the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and includes the history of the construction of a prison castle on the site of the former Jesuit collegium.

There are mock-ups of various stages of prison facilities, as well as cultural artifacts such as clothing of prisoners and guards, prison supplies and instruments of punishment.

Recreated prison cells reflect the atmosphere of different eras, and mannequins dressed in historical costumes are also on display. A separate stand shows prohibited items and accommodates, for example, such a punishment tool as the "rack".

In the center of one of the halls there is a mock-up of the Grodno prison, showing in detail all the buildings of the institution. The layout was created a long time ago and was in the duty station. When creating the museum, it was decided to place it as an exhibit. Thanks to him, visitors can learn how the prison was built and modified.

In addition, the museum has sections dedicated to famous prisoners and the memory of employees who died during the service.

This is a departmental institution, so visits are only possible by appointment for educational institutions. New aspects of the history of Grodno are revealed to the guests of the museum.