The Tula Museum of Local Lore is a place where you can find out the history of this ancient Russian city and get acquainted with the most interesting collections collected during archaeological and ethnographic expeditions that have been held in the region over the past 100 years.
History
The Tula Museum of Local Lore was founded on May 18, 1919. It was on this day that the first post-revolutionary large-scale historical and art exhibition opened in the city. It presented a meeting of the Chamber of Antiquities, organized in 1880 by the teacher of the local theological seminary Nikolai Ivanovich Troitsky. In addition, the townspeople were able to see collections of objects of painting and arts and crafts, nationalized from the noble estates of the Tula province.
In 1927, the exhibition changed its status and became known as the Tula Museum of Local Lore. After 5 years, this cultural institution was transferred to the building, which is still occupied today. In 2013, they became a branch of the GUK TO “Association“ Historical, Local Lore and Art Museum of Tula ”. In the same year, large-scale repair and restoration work was carried out there, after which the exposition appeared before the audience in a new modernized form.
Building
The Tula Museum of History and Local Lore occupies a mansion built in 1799. At one time, it belonged to the merchant of the 3rd guild I. Beloborodov. At that time, this building was one of the largest and most luxurious in Tula. It had a mezzanine and a residential part, consisting of two floors. The windows on the facade of the house are decorated in Baroque style. With their decor, a floral forged ornament of the railing and supporting columns of the stairs is in tune. Outside, the building is painted yellow and is one of the main architectural decorations of Sovetskaya Street.
Exposition Description: Hall of Ancient History
Inspection of the expositions begins by climbing the stairs to the first hall of the Tula Museum of Local Lore. Minerals and ancient organisms found on the territory of the city and region are presented at three large stands. The greatest interest among visitors is the huge mammoth tusk. Then they are invited to see fragments of ancient dishes covered with interesting ornaments, and a variety of female jewelry, many of which would not refuse to wear modern fashionistas.
There you can see cash treasures. They are not as ancient as the bones of the prehistoric giants, but they have also been hidden for many centuries from prying eyes in the earth.
Household items of the inhabitants of Tula
Dumb witnesses of any era are the products of artisans that people used in their daily lives. In the museum you can see, for example, door handles decorated with carvings, copper candlesticks, antique watches, scales, which were widely used in merchant shops. And of course, the famous Tula samovars are represented there. They are symbols of the city along with weapons and Tula gingerbread.
In the museum of local history of Tula, you can see the little things that local fashionistas have used for the past two centuries.
Gingerbread cookies and toys
This delicacy, known far beyond the borders of Tula, glorified not only local bakers, but also woodcarvers. For several centuries they created boards for the "printing" of such products. In the museum you can see the best examples of these works of native Russian decorative and applied art, which has wide practical application.
In the same room, visitors can see Filimonovo toy. Brightly painted clay horses, stout merchants in lush dresses, cockerels, young dandies, etc. are displayed in the windows. They are pleasing to the eye and cause a desire to acquire such a trinket that keeps the warmth of the hands of the potter who made it.
Ethnographic Hall
In this room, records of performances by folklore groups sound. Under such accompaniment, it is even more interesting to consider the outfits of "19-century" young ladies-peasant women. There you can see such a traditional piece of furniture for any peasant house of this period, as a loom, next to which stands its constant companion - a spinning wheel.
In that room, salt dishes were displayed, on which it was written: “Porridge is our mother!”, An original painted chest, etc.
The room itself is decorated with original paintings created by St. Petersburg decorators and artists who depicted scenes of peasant life on them.
Education Hall
At all times, progress was the result of knowledge that a person acquired in various ways. If in ancient times the main source was the practical experience of previous generations and your own, then in the future they began to be taught in educational institutions. It is their history on the territory of the Tula region that the hall is dedicated to, where exhibits on the activities of parish schools and gymnasiums are exhibited.
Hall of nature
This part of the exhibition is dedicated to the flora and fauna of the region. Young townspeople are very fond of being here, as they can see animals at close range, many of which you will not see even in most zoos. The pride of the exposition is a collection of insects, upon looking at which Korney Chukovsky with his famous “Fly-Tsokotuha” is immediately remembered.
Hall dedicated to the history of Orthodoxy
An exposition dedicated to religion is located on the ground floor of the museum. There you can see the cassocks and the festive vestments of priests, icons in precious salaries, etc. Visitors are invited to learn about the ascetics who preached the Word of God in these parts and about those who remained faithful to their convictions during the years of persecution of the Orthodox Church.
Hall for temporary exhibitions
The Tula Local History Museum is trying to keep up to date. Along with the permanent expositions described above, temporary exhibitions are regularly held there using the latest museum technologies for displaying exposition material. In particular, recently in the museum one could see exhibits dedicated to the Battle of Borodino. It was framed in the form of a board game: you had to roll the dice and make moves, rearranging the chips.
The exhibition devoted to ancient and more modern weapons aroused great interest among the citizens. It represented not only dummies and reconstructions, but also real chain mail and swords.
Museum of Local Lore Tula: reviews
Those who visited this cultural institution, as a rule, remain satisfied and full of impressions. Visitors express especially praise to the exposition with weapons and armor, which are exhibited in halls dedicated to the history of the region in the Middle Ages. There are also a lot of weapons found during the search for the remains of Soviet soldiers who heroically died in battles for their homeland during the Second World War.
As for the museum’s shortcomings, the criticism is mainly aimed at the lack of exhibition space, because of which the exhibits are placed in cramped spaces. At the same time, many people like the atmosphere of an old noble mansion and its interiors, preserving the appearance inherent in the houses of the provincial nobility in the 19th century.
How to get there
The Museum of History and Local Lore and Art in Tula is located at ul. Sovetskaya, 68. You can get there by public transport to the stop "Sovetskaya St.". From the railway station bus number 16, trolley bus number 10, as well as minibus N 16, 10, 4M, from the bus station - buses N 28, 18 and minibus N 18.
For more information, please call the numbers listed on the official website of the institution.
Mode of operation
The Tula Museum of Local Lore is open from 10:00 to 20:00 on weekdays, from Tuesday to Friday. On Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays, the exposition can be viewed from 10:00 to 18:00. Please note that on the last Wednesday of every month, a sanitary day is held and visitors are not allowed to enter.
Now you know why Tula Museum of Local Lore is interesting, photos of which are presented in this article. If you find yourself in this ancient Russian city, be sure to look there to see interesting exhibits and learn more about the inhabitants of this region of skilled gunsmiths and magnificent bakers.