Beyond Bering

Works from the collection of the History Museum, Tallinn, Estonia (Ajaloomuuseum) in collaboration with the State Museum of Ethnology, Munich, Germany, 7 July-23 December 2004. The Galleria Gottardo, continuing its collaboration with museums of ethnography, presents more than 150 original ethnographic pieces from the Russian possessions in the North Pacific which were administered by the Russian-American Company until 1867. These works from the History Museum in Tallinn are being shown for the first time in Western Europe and retrace a long forgotten passage in Russian history and of European colonial expansion. Until now these exhibition pieces were carefully stored in the repository of the Tallinn Museum, one of the most breathtaking Gothic buildings in Estonia's capital city. Before the exhibition could be organised, the works were carefully cleaned and restored by the experts from the State Museum of Ethnology in Munich. The necessary works were completely financed by the Galleria Gottardo, a non-for-profit foundation of Banca del Gottardo for the promotion of cultural activities.