New exhibit honors Pierre-Émile Martin's steelmaking revolution in Vyksa

A new exhibit will soon honour Pierre-Émile Martin, the inventor of the open-hearth furnace, at the Vyksa Metallurgical Plant Museum. The display will feature rare family items and documents donated by his descendant. Plans also include an outdoor installation called Martin’s Garden in nearby Shukhov Park. Pierre-Émile Martin was born on August 17, 1824, in Bourges, France. His invention of the open-hearth furnace transformed steel production in the 19th century. By the early 1870s, the technology had spread globally.

Russia’s first open-hearth furnace was built at the Sormovo Iron Works in 1870. The Vyksa Metallurgical Plant operated its own open-hearth shop until its closure in 2018. Catherine Kolganova, Martin’s great-great-granddaughter, attended the shop’s final ceremony that year.

The museum has since expanded its collection with nearly 40 items from the Martin family. These include personal letters, photographs, and archival materials. The upcoming exhibit will highlight both the inventor’s legacy and the era of open-hearth steelmaking. The new museum display and Martin’s Garden will preserve the history of open-hearth metallurgy. Visitors will see original artefacts linked to Pierre-Émile Martin and the industrial revolution he helped shape. The project reflects ongoing efforts to document Vyksa’s role in Russia’s steelmaking heritage.