With the reopening of the church, visitors can now access not only its main volume but also the podklet – the sacred heart of the shrine – where a new permanent exhibition will be housed. The exhibition is dedicated to the church’s history, architectural features, and unique engineering solutions. The project’s scientific advisor is Andrei Leonidovich Batalov, a specialist in Old Russian architecture, Doctor of Art History, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, and Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation.
The first hall tells the story of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord and the process of its construction. The second hall is dedicated to the dramatic history of the discovery of one of the most revered shrines of the Russian Orthodox Church – the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God. This discovery took place on 2 March (15 March, New Style) 1917 in the podklet of the Ascension Church. On that very same day, the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II, signed his abdication from the throne. Since then, the icon has become an object of special veneration for the residents of Kolomenskoye and Moscow, and the popular belief has grown strong that it was the Mother of God who took upon herself the care of all Russia.
After its reopening, the Church of the Ascension of the Lord will function both as a museum and as a place of worship. The church will be open for visits during the warm season, while the exhibition in the podklet will operate year-round. On major church holidays, divine services are planned to be held in the church.