the first mail boxes were introduced in St. Petersburg 153 years ago, on December 13, 1848, by the order of the St. Petersburg Postal Department.

Boxes were usually situated near post offices, as well as shops and stations. At first Petersburgers used this innovation not willingly as letters were often stolen. Russian thieves didn't bother themselves with contriving sophisticated appliances – boxes were torn down with the help of a crow-bar and just carried away. That is why shady places were provided with cast iron boxes.

The whole collection of Russian boxes, which has been created for 130 years by the Central Museum named after Popov, can be viewed in the museum's halls that are to open by the St. Petersburg's 300-year anniversary after their restoration.

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