Children and adults live in different worlds. Those who are older have priority in their work, participation in public life, talking about politics, caring for tomorrow. Kids have toys, swings, "Mother Daughters", "Cat and Mouse", tricycles, first copybooks and the ABC Book.
Childhood in peacetime remains childhood, regardless of the political system, ideological attitudes of the state, the material situation of parents, other circumstances fundamentally important for the older generation.
One can speak of the past Soviet Union in different ways, but hardly anyone will argue that the children born in the 60-80s of the XX century were still happy.
For everyone who is nostalgic for the past years or just interested in the history of a great country, the exhibition “Soviet childhood” (Museum of Moscow) was open until March 15.
Exposure idea
The event was organized by Vladimir Kuznetsov, Irina Karpatova and artist Alexey Kononenko. The curators set out to not only collect toys, books, household items from the Soviet era under one roof, but to show that the life of young USSR citizens was eventful and vibrant.
Description of the exhibition
In the country of Soviets, they said about a small child that he "walks under the table on foot." In a similar way, the exhibition "Soviet childhood" was framed. The Moscow Museum at the entrance was decorated in such a way that visitors did pass under the table. Having overcome a small obstacle, children and adults found themselves in the realm of toys. The guests were greeted by plastic Pinocchio and Gene crocodile, celluloid dolls, dolls, strollers, a children's sewing machine, tricycles, pedal-driven cars.
The crystal dreams of Soviet children - remote-controlled moon rovers, tablets on which they painted with plastic sticks, board games with an electric bulb, toy tea-drinking sets evoked nostalgic memories and delighted all visitors.
The main holiday of the kids of the whole country was the New Year. In the houses, Christmas trees were decorated, kindergartens, schools and out-of-school institutions were invited to fun mornings. A Christmas tree with Soviet-era toys was also on display to visitors. The exhibition “Soviet childhood” resembled a time machine. The Moscow Museum temporarily returned to the past.
The vast majority of Soviet Union kids went to bed after the Good Night, Kids! Television program, were raised on the films Old Man Hottabych, Adventures of Electronics, etc. Visitors to the exhibition had the opportunity to see the legendary Filya, Khryusha, Stepashka and Karkusha, watch cartoons and films shot in the USSR.
In a separate room imitated a school class. School desks with hinged covers, pioneer ties, badges, drums, horns, school uniforms, notebooks with blotters - part of life that is not forgotten.
Part of the exhibition space was designed as a city apartment from the time of socialism. Every thing, whether it be rubber mittens, a plastic truck or a night pot under the bed, has real owners and stores the energy of Soviet people. Those whose childhood and youth passed in the USSR were allowed to feel the special atmosphere and spirit of the era by the exhibition “Soviet childhood”. Moscow Museum prodemosntriroval all visitors, how happy were the children of the Soviet Union.
The special care of Soviet teachers and parents was the organization of leisure for young citizens of a large country: theaters of young spectators worked in many cities of the Soviet Union, in the cinemas they organized children's sessions and lectures, and the children developed their abilities and talents in the Houses of Children's Creativity. Visitors to the exhibition had the opportunity to see dolls from the famous S. Obraztsov Theater, clown costumes of the Moscow Circus, and other props.
The organizers of the event offered to try sweets, cookies, ice cream and Pinocchio prepared according to Soviet GOST.
Exhibition "Soviet childhood": reviews
The main impression of those who got acquainted with the exposition was nostalgia. Sayings like “But I bought these sledges for my child, to carry them to kindergarten”, “Our neighbors had the same service” or “Collars and cuffs to sew to a school dress every Sunday is horrible.”
For modern children, the exhibition in Moscow “Soviet Childhood” is a story, vivid fragments of the lives of fathers and mothers. In the era of gastrointestinal tractors, computers, ballpoint pens, the Internet, it is very interesting to find out what the blotter was for, how impatiently they waited for a ten-minute cartoon on a lamp-footed TV, how they dreamed of a new typewriter or doll that said “Mom”.
As the drawbacks of the exposition, the reviewers note the unprofessional organization of space and a large queue in the wardrobe.
Children of the Soviet era: who are they?
Those born in the 90s may get the impression that their mothers and fathers went on guard all the time, sang songs and seriously dreamed of becoming builders of communism. In fact, ideology rarely penetrated the life of Soviet people. Kids also went to kindergarten, played with dolls and cars, quarreled, reconciled, cried, laughed and dreamed. Teenagers and young men declared their love, reflected on life, kept diaries, went to construction teams and for potatoes.
Soviet children did not have even half of what is available to children today (round-the-clock children's channels, holidays in foreign resorts, new-fashioned gadgets, etc.). However, the boys and girls of the country of the Soviets were happy because they had loving parents, friends, a variety of toys and real tangible confidence in the future. It is this simple and carefree childhood in the USSR that was demonstrated at the exhibition "Soviet childhood".