Puppet Museum description and photo - Russia - Saint Petersburg: Saint Petersburg (Topic)

Puppet Museum description and photos - Russia - St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photos and a map showing the nearest significant objects.

Photo and description

Next to the chapel dedicated to the patroness of St. Petersburg, Xenia the Blessed, there is another remarkable place - a museum where dolls are exhibited as exhibits. It is called the Museum of Dolls.

The Museum was opened in 1998 (it is non-governmental), its base was the Russian Ethnographic Museum, it also conducts scientific and methodological guidance. The basis of the museum's funds was originally the exhibits that previously belonged to private collectors. Subsequently, the funds of the museum began to replenish at the expense of modern author's and antique dolls. This museum provides an opportunity to get acquainted with the history of dolls from the very beginning of their appearance (archaic times) to the present day.

The exposition is located in eight rooms, which contain different types: interior doll; fairy doll; doll of Russian folklore; holiday doll; traditional ritual doll; theatrical puppet; a masquerade doll and "Forest Kingdom". In addition to the exhibition halls, visitors are given the opportunity to inspect the workshops where souvenir dolls are made and where you can learn about the world of dolls from the inside.

A great contribution to the museum's exposition has been made and continues to be made by students studying at the staging department (Academy of Theater Arts). Their works, which are masks, puppets, theatrical collages, created under the guidance of mentors L.V. Ludinova and T.V. Slezina (leading teachers of the Theater Academy), occupy a worthy place in museum expositions.

The interaction of the Theater Academy gave impetus to the beginning of the use of an ultra-modern position in exhibiting. Unlike previous developments, each showcase was viewed as a separate theater stage. The characters that make up it were presented as dolls - this made an indelible effect on the human viewer and completely immersed him in a fabulous atmosphere full of magic.

At the moment, the number of exhibits in the museum has exceeded five thousand. The best designer, souvenir and traditional dolls are constantly exhibited in the exhibition halls. The authors of the dolls are the best contemporary artists.

The tour starts from the entrance hall. The exhibits collected in it are dedicated to Russian traditions. Here you can see dolls that adorned the Russian fair, dolls, without which it is unthinkable to imagine Christmas games, carols, the holidays of Easter and Merry Christmas.

The next room contains traditional East Slavic dolls. There are also wooden dolls; dolls that played the role of amulets; dolls used in rituals. They are created from materials that nature itself gave. The style of their execution is archaic. All of them are made according to samples collected by ethnographers. These dolls played a big role in the life of the ancient Slavs, and accompanied them in all spheres of life, be it everyday life or idleness.

The dolls known to us from fabulous literary works are presented in the next room. Here you can see King Dadon, a golden cockerel and an insidious sage. A little further - Tsar Saltan and the Princess. This is the author's doll, which was created by our contemporaries.

The fairy tale does not end there, in the "Forest Kingdom" various unusual characters are collected, born by theater artist Marina Orlova. The magical atmosphere of mystery envelops visitors from all sides. Krakodrak, Kikimora, Drakodil, Goblin - just do not count them all.

The carnival atmosphere - masks, compositions of many figures, panels, dolls, accessories - students and their leader T.V. Slezin (State Academy of Theater Arts).

The museum also has a hall where only adult visitors are allowed. It contains dolls that celebrate the most beautiful feeling on earth. They sing about love between a man and a woman.

The second floor of the museum gives visitors the opportunity to see how famous masters work, reviving the traditions of making souvenir dolls.

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Topic: Puppet Museum description and photo - Russia - Saint Petersburg: Saint Petersburg.