Preservation of historic monuments in the “Kizhi” Open-Air Museum (Russian Federation)

The paper presents information about preservation of historic timber structures in the Kizhi open-air museum (Russian Federation). The approaches used by the restorers and conservators at the time of the museum establishment and existence are described. The system of biological control of timber structures used nowadays in the museum aims to prevent biodeterioration as a main factor decreasing the service life of wooden structures. The proposed monitoring system enables determination of the zones damaged by fungi and insects, assessment of the activity of a wide range of biological agents at initial stages, environmental control of biodeterioration. Introduction of the proposed monitoring system in the Kizhi museums proved its effectiveness. In combination with timely repair and elimination of the revealed defects, it increases the service life of historic timber structures while preserving their authenticity.