This grand building was the university's original observatory, founded in 1810, and now houses one of university's museum branches. Its most famous director, F. G. W. Struve (in charge 1820 - 1839) installed what was then the most powerful telescope in the world. A shiny plaque in front honours Struve's Geodetic Arc, a string of survey triangulations stretching 2,820km from Norway to the Black Sea. The arc was put on UNESCO's Cultural Heritage List in 2005. The museum takes visitors through the observatory's history from the early-19th-century right up until the time of the Soviet space program. Here visitors can check out antique stargazing devices, try several interactive exhibits and climb outside for city views. Old-school planetary shows done on a mechanical projector will help you keep your zodiac signs straight. The best photos of the observatory’s II astrophotography competition are displayed in the main staircase.