Which museums in Yaroslavl will children enjoy?

In August we went to Yaroslavl. It was a five-day business trip. We spent two days traveling from Moscow: we took a long-distance train in a compartment. We dedicated three days to exploring the city. I'll remind you of our group: my mother-in-law, Sasha (5 years old), Maksim (almost one and a half) and me.

Yaroslavl's museums: how to choose from such a variety?

There are more than 30 museums in Yaroslavl. These include state museums, for example the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve, the Art Museum, the Museum of City History, as well as numerous private projects. In summer the museums are crowded: lots of individual tourists and organized groups from riverboats.

The last time I was in Yaroslavl was 10 years ago, and before that in my student days. I learned about the new museums from colleagues' publications. To make a travel plan I did the following:

1) searched for attractions using queries like "what to see in Yaroslavl with children", "what to do in Yaroslavl with kids";

2) from dozens of options I selected those that fit the interests of our mixed-age group;

3) checked museum websites to clarify visiting conditions and opening hours;

4) outlined a preliminary route.

Here’s what I considered when choosing museums:

1) the needs and abilities of the children: Sasha (5) can concentrate on a topic for 15–20 minutes, he is interested in technology, interactive exhibits, and can also look at paintings; Maksim (1.5) loves running, touching everything, and expresses his emotions quite loudly.

2) my mother‑in‑law’s needs: the ability to rest in a museum or between locations;

3) the necessity to park a stroller somewhere and also to leave some things in a cloakroom.

As a result we chose the following museums and locations:

The show-model is an exemplary case of good visitor service, including for families. Starting from the website, which answers all main questions, to the exit where there's a reminder not to forget to buy a souvenir. Great! Besides the model itself you can see the workshop where the whole system is controlled and new elements are created. In the same space there is a short documentary about the creation of the model.

We spent about 40 minutes at the show-model; the kids didn't want to leave. Even though it was crowded, the boys patiently waited for viewing spots and the buttons to activate individual objects. My mother‑in‑law and I were thrilled too!

The space is compact yet contains everything needed for a comfortable visit: a cloakroom that has leaflets listing nearby places to eat after the museum, feedback forms. A lovely souvenir shop where you can even buy magnets with visitors' photos. I love that. And the restroom... a separate delight!

A feature of the Yaroslavl Museum‑Reserve is the diversity of spaces and exhibitions. It's hard to get your bearings on the first try. The website has information, but there's no family‑focused navigator page. In the end we bought combined tickets so we could decide on the spot what we wanted to see.

Sasha and his grandmother went up on the fortress walls. Maksim and I walked around the grounds since little ones aren't allowed in some areas. Then we went to the children's exhibition "Yarmanka": it has interactive elements. You can measure weight using weights, stack a woodpile, try on costumes, and try to handle heavy blocks. At that moment a downpour began. While I put Maksim to sleep, Sasha and his grandmother looked at a couple more exhibitions in the same building.

In this museum I was interested in the exhibition of Soviet realist painting. Paintings from that era are interesting to Sasha; one can find something understandable and familiar for Maksim in them. We saw it in 10 minutes. I gave Sasha my phone so he could photograph what he found interesting. I carried Maksim so he wouldn't run off. Maksim liked the painting with a cucumber the most. My mother‑in‑law went on a guided tour of the temporary exhibition from the State Tretyakov Gallery on her own.

A museum that pleased us with its care for children and an excellent collection! In the entrance area there is a children's corner, and staff can occupy the kids so the adults can view the exhibition. It's so touching! The temporary exhibition dedicated to fairy tales also has a children's corner. My family appreciated it :)

Gingerbread House

This is not a museum but a shop with a space for master classes. A colleague gifted us a ticket for a workshop; Sasha went with his grandmother. A great format that suits kids who can sit and do an activity for about an hour.

Conclusions

I definitely recommend Yaroslavl for family travel. The main attractions are located in the center within walking distance of each other, which is very convenient. The roads, however, are not perfect everywhere — pushing a stroller can be a bit challenging, but it's quite manageable. I especially recommend paying attention to private projects and museums: always check information on websites and by phone, as some venues operate by appointment only.

Ideally plan for 3–4 days; if you visit in summer, go on weekdays when there are slightly fewer tourists in the museums.

Have you been to Yaroslavl? Which museums and places would you recommend?