The search and exploration of the islands by Russia, from the mid-17th to the 19th century, is one of the most interesting pages of Sakhalin and Kurile history. The Museum displays copies of maps and other documents relating to the first trips of Russian explorers and navigators to the Far Eastern outlying districts of Russia, "to meet the sun". Among them is a copy of the earliest picture of Sakhalin (mid-17th century), as a small island in the mouth of the river Amur, and drafts of the Kurile Islands made by Ivan Kozyrevsky (1713), Evreinov and Luzhin (1720-1721), Martyn Spanberg (1738-1739), and others. Numerous expeditions by Russian and foreign explorers in the 17-19th centuries allowed the outside world its first views of the natural features of Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands, and the way of life of their indigenous inhabitants.

A set of articles on display in the flat show-case was collected during the excavation of Kurilorossia, a Russian settlement in Urup Island, in the Kuriles. Between 1980 and 1990 historical-archaeological expeditions from the Museum worked in the area, and gathered a unique collection of artifacts (about 10,000 pieces) dating to the period of economic development of the Kurile archipelago by Russia from the late 18th century. The excavation of Kurilorossia revealed the remains of houses and household buildings, numerous tools, articles of domestic life, and objects relating to the material and spiritual culture of the Russian settlers - peasants, crafts-men, and hunters of sea animals - as well as those of the Aleutians brought to the Kuriles from Russian America as a labour force.

Captain Gennady Nevelskoy's expedition in 1849 and the Amuro-Sakhalinskaya expedition of 1850-1855 marked the beginning of the systematic development and settlement of Sakhalin by Russia. A sculpture of Nevelskoy is in the centre of the display, and near it is a model of the sailing vessel "Baikal", on which Nevelskoy made his journey to the Sakhalin coasts. Photos, maps and documents describe his expedition. In 1853 Nevelskoy founded the first military base in Sakhalin -Muravyevsky post. In a flat show-case you can see a copy of a picture of mid-19th century Muravyesky, and a modern graphic reconstruction of the settlement. Further items on Muravyesky will be set up soon.