The opening of  exhibition “Catalytic heating pad GK-1” took place online as part of the “Exhibit of the Month” project on March 16, 2024.

Our exhibition presents a Soviet gadget that looks similar to a cigarette case or a regular lighter, but has a much more practical purpose. It is still in great demand among hunters, fishermen and climbers. This is a catalytic heating pad GK-1. Such heating pads were produced in the USSR in the 70s, the cost was 6 rubles 50 penny. But they came into use much earlier - in the USA, Japan and England during the First World War several versions of pocket warmers were patented. This invention saved millions soldiers from the cold in the trenches.
The heating pad was donated to the funds of the Temirtau Museum by a veteran of the Karaganda Metallurgical Plant, Romashkin Shikhap Kadyrovich - Honored Instructor of Tourism of the Kazakhstan Republic, a member of the Temirtau tourist club "Horizon", a member of the running club "Meridian", photographer, poet. One of his main hobbies was tourism and mountaineering. The heating pad presented in our exhibition, has come a long way together with its owner, conquering the peaks of the Tien Shan, Pamir, Caucasus and Altai mountains.