The Museum of Cosmonautics in Tomashovka, the birth place of the first Belarusian cosmonaut Pyotr Klimuk

The first thematic Museum of Cosmonautics in Belarus opened at the secondary school in the village of Tomashovka, Brest District on 4 November 1978. The idea for it emerged back in 1973 after the first orbital flight of Pyotr Klimuk, a native of these parts. He was born in the small village of Komarovka. The school located in neighboring Tomashovka, just a few kilometers away, was named after him in 2022. Pyotr Klimuk is the famous Belarusian cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union who completed three missions (1973, 1975, 1978) as crew commander and who spent a total of 78 days, 18 hours, and 18 minutes in orbit.

Many years ago, while collecting materials, teachers and students of Tomashovka School began corresponding with Pyotr Ilyich and visited Star City. The school in Komarovka, where the future cosmonaut had studied, had by that time already “moved” to Tomashovka, and it was there that the teachers who had raised Pyotr Klimuk worked , the teachers with whom he maintained close ties. The cosmonaut’s mother, Marfa Klimuk, donated her son’s personal belongings, photographs, and shared her memories for the exhibition. The Museum of Cosmonautics was unveiled in November 1978 in a grand ceremony, with the participation of Marfa Klimuk and numerous guests. The cosmonaut visited the museum on several occasions.

In November 2025, the Museum of Cosmonautics in Tomashovka received the status of a “people’s museum”. Over nearly half a century of its existence, it closed only once (2003-2004) due to a large-scale renovation of the school, which transformed it into an educational complex featuring a winter garden, specialized training rooms, a gym, and the renewed museum. Today, its collection includes more than 2,000 exhibits about space exploration and the life and achievements of Pyotr Klimuk.

The museum spans an area of 228 square meters and features three halls dedicated to the chronicle of space exploration, the legacy of the first Belarusian cosmonaut, the flights of international crews, and the nutrition and equipment of cosmonauts. The core exhibition was formed back in the 1970s. Of special note are the photographs, documents, items from Pyotr Klimuk's home, including objects he made himself, all donated by his mother Marfa. Visitors will see a diorama of the school in the village of Komarovka and the cosmonaut's school desk, artifacts from his space flights, including a shock-absorbing seat and a wetsuit, a drinking water container that traveled through outer space and a training docking system, models of the Mir station and the Kvant module, and Pyotr Klimuk's military uniform.

On Cosmonautics Day, 12 April 2024, a new section of the permanent exhibition opened at the museum to celebrate Belarus’ space exploration acheivements. It introduces visitors to Belarus’ achievements in science and technology, and tells the story of all the Belarusian cosmonauts - Piotr Klimuk, Vladimir Kovalyonok, Oleg Novitsky, and Marina Vasilevskaya.

Museum of Cosmonautics in Tomashovka - opening hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 14.20 to 18.20
Saturday – 10.00 to 14.00,
closed on Wednesday and Sunday