The museum-necropolis of the Demidovs in Tula is the only surviving intra-church tomb, where the remains of several generations of eminent citizens of Russia rest. Family members were buried in the St. Nicholas Church, today it is part of a memorial complex dedicated to the family of industrialists, and is part of the combined museum complex of Tula.
General information
The Demidov historical and memorial museum in Tula was opened in 1996, the event was timed to coincide with the 850th anniversary of the city, as well as the 340th anniversary of the famous Tulchanin Nikita Demidov, the founder of a glorious family.
The museum complex is located in the historical part of the city, where the Kuznetsk settlement flourished before. Nearby is the St. Nicholas Church, for the construction of which donated funds Akinfiy Demidov, this happened in 1730. The center of the Demidov historical and memorial museum is the tomb, where representatives of several generations of the family living in Tula are buried.
Architectural ensemble
The grave of Nikita Demidov was lost in the 19th century. In memory of him, as well as of the thousands of gunsmiths who worked in the settlement, a cross was erected. Earlier, a local churchyard was located around the church, now a square is laid out at this place. On the square in front of the Nikolo-Zaretskaya Church stands a monument to the founder of the dynasty - Nikita Demidov.
The temple ensemble dates back to the 18th century and is protected by the state as a monument of architecture. The general style of the two-story church can be described as St. Petersburg Baroque, the bell tower architecture traces the features of the belfry, characteristic of Yaroslavl and Suzdal.
Museum
The Demidov Museum in Tula has a total exhibition area of ​​47.8 m 2 . The institution employs 13 specialists, some of them conduct scientific work. During the year, the complex is visited by about 73 thousand tourists. The museum funds contain 204 unique items.
The most valuable collections are:
- A collection of objects found during excavations of the tomb of Demidov (41 storage units).
- A collection of measuring instruments - unique in accuracy instruments made by Tula masters at the Imperial Arms Factory, as well as brought from England (6 items).
- The most extensive collection includes objects of castle art and hardware, each bearing the brand of the manufacturer (32 storage units).
Exposition
The main exposition dedicated to the family of industrialists is located in a small wooden building built in the 1930s. The museum-necropolis of the Demidovs (Tula), more precisely the tribal tomb, is located in the underlining of the intra-church chapel, located in the western part of the current St. Nicholas Church.
On the stands of the main exhibition hall are items found during expeditions to places where there were previously factories or houses of industrialists, as well as those discovered during excavations in the Demidov necropolis. Visitors can see the unique portraits of family members, some of them belong to the modern representatives of the family who patronize the memorial complex.
Excursionists are offered samples of Tula weapons craftsmanship, samovars of different centuries of manufacture, locally-made copper dishes, locks and door handles made with care and a variety of shapes and sizes.
Excursions
The museum “Necropolis of the Demidovs” conducts exploratory and educational activities. Adults and children can replenish their knowledge on such excursions:
- “Demidovs in the History of Russia” - a sightseeing tour of the main exposition of the complex, including the tomb of the St. Nicholas Church. The program is designed for 50 minutes, the guide tells historical facts about the family of industrialists and nobles, legends and myths that accompanied each of the Demidov clan, as well as biographies of the most prominent members of the clan. Cost - from 80 to 150 rubles.
- For the younger generation, a quest game called "Find the Treasures of the Demidovs" has been organized. The event takes place on the historical part of the Kuznetsk settlement. In an interactive form, children learn a lot about the life of several generations of the Demidov clan, due to the ease of presentation, it is firmly fixed in the memory of children. At the end of the game, participants are given Demid diplomas. Duration - 1 hour, cost - 150 rubles per participant.
Events and outreach
The Demidov Memorial Museum holds many events and organizes exhibitions dedicated to both the family of industrialists and the historical events of Tula and Russia. The annual traditional holiday was the birthday of Nikita Demidov, celebrated on April 5. On this day, a memorial service is served in the tomb of the current St. Nicholas-Zaretsky Church, a sightseeing tour is conducted.
The Demidov House Museum is a constant and active participant in city events. An annual significant event was the citywide competition “Local Lore Regatta”, in the framework of which a quiz on the entrepreneurial and philanthropic activities of the Demidovs was held. Every year, on the basis of the machine-building college, Demidov readings are traditionally held; the program includes reports from research workers of the museum.
The Demidov Memorial Museum has become the place where recent entrants are solemnly consecrated as students of the College of Engineering. The event is held on the square at the foot of the monument to Nikita Demidov, museum staff sincerely wish each young man inspiration on the path to knowledge and believe that their fellow countryman Nikita Demidov is the best example of bold accomplishments and victories.
Exhibition Activities
The museum-necropolis of the Demidovs never tires of delighting the public with lectures and projects. A lively response from the public was caused by the temporary exposition “Famous Wives of the Demidovs”, not much is known about this side of the life of the family. Women played a huge role in the life of many representatives of the clan, being inspirers and assistants in business. The most notable among them were Elizaveta Stroganova, Matilda Bonaparte, Ekaterina Lopukhina and many others.
The Demidovs in Italy exhibition was lively and intense, reflecting the close connection of the Demidovs with this country. In Italy, one of the branches of the descendants of the famous surname has settled and still lives.
Poster
Until the end of November 2018, tourists are invited to visit several projects:
- “The lessons of sobriety. Drinking does not color "- classes for adults. During the event, employees demonstrate the medal "For Drunkenness", which Demidov Nikita awarded workers who could not resist the temptation. Visitors will learn the history of the tradition, the medal itself, become participants in the presentation of the “award”, and also learn about what other measures have been taken to combat drunkenness.
- Everyone has a chance to get to the exhibition "Russian Dandy" (until November 18), dedicated to Anatoly Demidov, who was born and lived almost all his life in Europe. The exposition reveals the theme of dendism and talks about the bright follower of the style from the Demidov clan.
- The museum invites you to participate in the game “What? Where? When?"
Plans
The museum-necropolis of the Demidovs is working to give the status of a memorial to another tomb of the genus, located in the village of Chulkovo. In a small rural church, Akinfy Demidov buried his first wife, Evdokia Korobkova. In 1732, he donated funds for the construction of a stone church and a bell tower in honor of the Nativity of Christ.
In the plans of the museum administration, the main place is the restoration and restoration of the tomb of the Demidov clan. A project has already been developed, which takes into account all the canons of Orthodoxy. A new excursion route is also being prepared for the opening, which will be laid to the bell tower of Nikola Zaretsky, where a thematic exhibition will be presented on the 1st floor.
The development of the Demidov Memorial Botanical Garden continues. Grigory Akinfeevich Demidov embodied the idea in the 1730s. It was the first private botanical garden, the collection of plants was unparalleled - it adjoined trees and shrubs common in Russia, and tropical heat-loving representatives of the flora were also included in the collection. Today, tradition is being revived by enthusiasts and museum staff.
For children
The Demidov Museum-Necropolis has developed educational programs for local history students. Thematic classes complement the school curriculum of elementary and middle school students. Lectures and excursions are organically accompanied by rare items of the main fund related to the studied era.
Children are invited to such classes:
- The history of the city of Tula.
- "Visiting a gymnasium student."
- "The Tale of How Demidov Nikita Met the Tsar."
- "City of masters".
- "Shop Demidov Street Demidov" and many others.
Reviews
The Demidov Museum-Necropolis is located in Tula at the address: Demidovskaya street, building 9. The memorial complex is popular among tourists. Numerous reviews say that the exposure is small, but informational is very saturated. To understand and find out the history of the Demidov family, visitors are advised to definitely use the services of a guide. The employees are very well aware of the topic they are working with and are able to talk for hours about each exhibit presented at the stand.
Visitors note that after an excursion to the Demidov Center Museum, the history of Russia's development in Peter's time becomes more understandable. Attention is drawn to the collection of existing miniature weapons, measuring instruments and the famous medal “For drunkenness”. Those who were previously interested in the history and pedigree of the Demidovs received additional information and touched on objects that were made in the factories of industrialists.
Negative reviews say that the museum-necropolis of the Demidovs is very small, the collected collections from such visitors were bewildering. Dissatisfied tourists felt that the exhibits were not of interest, they also indicated that the price of excursion services was overstated (500 rubles), for this reason they preferred to examine the exposition on their own and did not take out anything valuable for themselves.
You can get to the museum by public transport (Lunacharsky stop):
- Tram routes number 1 and number 2.
- Trolleybus routes number 1, 4, 7, 2 or number 6.
- By bus routes number 7, 21 or number 1.
The working hours of the memorial complex:
- Beginning of work at 10:00.
- From Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday, the memorial is open until 18:00.
- On Fridays and Saturdays (November to February), the museum is open until 19:00.
- A day off is every Monday.
The Demidov Necropolis Museum offers visitors not just a collection of valuable historical rarities, it is the keeper of the memory of one of the most significant and outstanding families of Russia, who have sometimes done more for the country than some rulers.