Museums have prepared a variety of programs for children and families that you can join in December and during the New Year holidays. In this article I share a selection of programs and give some recommendations for parents.
New Year's programs are an opportunity to get to know museums in a festive setting. Such programs usually combine interactive and traditional formats for working with children: for example, a tour and a workshop. The theme, of course, is New Year-related: searching for Ded Moroz (Father Frost), helping Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden) and other winter characters. Most programs are intended for preschoolers and older children; however some museums offer events for toddlers aged 0–3.
Recommendations for Parents
First, I'll share general tips.
1. Always check schedule, pricing, and visiting procedures on the museum's official resources, including by phone. Some programs are available only by reservation, and sometimes only for organized groups.
2. If it's the child's first visit to a museum, tell them in advance what the space is like, its features and rules of conduct. You can look at photos of the halls together.
3. Choose appropriate clothing, taking into account the format and venue. Exhibitions maintain specific temperature and humidity conditions; shoe covers may be required. Prefer comfortable clothing (especially if there's a creative workshop), while still festive, and bring a change of shoes.
4. Check where the parent should be during the program: options may vary. Sometimes you need to accompany the child for the whole event, while other times you can wait in other museum halls or near the cloakroom (depends on the museum building).
5. Arriving at the museum in a good mood and well-fed is already half the success! :) If the museum is far from home, plan the trip so the child isn't too tired by the start of the program.
Museum of the Russian Railways, Saint Petersburg
Features of New Year's programs and events
1. Average duration: 45–90 minutes.
2. Variety of formats: performances, workshops, quests, interactive tours, experiments, creative labs, concerts.
3. Participation of Ded Moroz (Father Frost) and Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden); usually you do not need to bring your own gifts (they are either included in the ticket price or not expected at all).
4. The program theme will most likely be related to the museum's own focus.
5. The schedule may not always be obvious — you may need to call by phone.
Tray Museum at the Zhostovo Factory
Selection of New Year's Museum Programs
Important: check information about prices, registration procedures, and participation on the museum's official resources (website, social networks, by phone).
New Year's program “In the Footsteps of the Magic Wagon” for children 5–7 years old
January 2, 5, 6, 8 and 11, 2026 – 11:00 and 14:00; January 3, 7, 9 – 11:00.
Duration: 90 minutes
Registration by phone +7 (812) 457-23-16
Program cost: child – 800 RUB + museum admission ticket; adult – museum admission ticket
Grandfather Frost set off on his annual journey by train to congratulate everyone on Earth, but an evil sorcerer hid the magic wagon with presents. The children must find the hidden wagon and save the holiday. To help Grandfather Frost, participants will move through the museum, uncover the secrets of exhibits, play games, solve riddles, and complete tasks. At the end of the session the kids will make a handmade gift in the Children's Center.
Program “A Tale of a Pirate, the Sea, and a New Year's Miracle” for children 1.5–5 years old
January 10, 2026 at 12:00 and 15:00
Tickets can be purchased on the museum website
Program cost 1600 RUB; parental accompaniment is required.
A kind winter story about how even a stern sea wolf can find the light inside him — if there's a little magic and many kind hearts around. The program includes an interactive performance, games with the characters, a workshop and a sweet gift.
New Year's program “New Year Among the Flowers”, 6+
From December 13 to 29
Duration: 1.5–2 hours
Pre-registration by phone +7 903-147-93-27
A festive New Year's tour of the museum with an educational quiz, fun contests and pleasant surprises, a workshop on painting a tray in a New Year's style, and the handing out of gifts.
Winter holidays at the museum for children 5–7 and 8–10 years old
From January 5 to 8, 2026, from 11:00 to 17:00
Cost 3300 RUB per day
Tickets can be purchased on the museum website.
Let's extend the holiday mood at the museum during the holidays: together we'll watch and discuss cartoons, bring favorite characters to life, experiment with the presentation and form of dishes in culinary workshops, visit exhibitions, hold fashion shows and have lots of fun!
Children's holiday program “Cat Asey and the New Year”, 6+
January 3 and 6, 2026 at 12:00
Cost 2300 RUB per child (one accompanying adult free). Tickets can be purchased on the website.
Bookings for school classes by phone +7 (910) 859-56-75
We invite children and their parents to a cozy old manor where Cat Asey will be a guide to a world of fun adventures, vivid impressions and festive mood! The program includes a New Year's quest around the old manor, a workshop on painting a wooden Christmas tree ornament, fun games and contests led by Ded Moroz and Snegurochka, and Cat Asey's signature sweet gift.
All-Russian Historical and Ethnographic Museum (Torzhok)
Interactive program “Winter Celebration” at the Novotorzhsky Kremlin (0+)
January 2 and 8, 2026 at 13:00
Cost 150 RUB per person.
The Novotorzhsky Kremlin invites you to an outdoor winter celebration: we'll play and joke, compete in strength, agility, speed and endurance! On an overview tour we'll admire the beauty of the old town from a bird's-eye view and learn all the most interesting facts about the weaponry of Russian warriors of the 11th–16th centuries from a real medieval warrior or even the prince himself!
Kosmos Museum, Yaroslavl Region, Tutayevsky District, Nikulskoye village, 42 Tsentralnaya St.
New Year's Adventure “In Search of Lost Time” for students in grades 1–4
December 17–20, 24–26
Cost 450 RUB per person, for organized groups.
Registration by phone 8 485 230-38-69
An exciting journey with riddles about Venus, the Moon and asteroids. Full immersion in the atmosphere of both a space and New Year's adventure. Each child will receive a souvenir from the museum (please note that a sweet gift is not provided).
“Christmas Detective. The Lost Manuscript” for children 6–12 years old
From December 10, 2025 to January 11, 2026
Weekday sessions at 11:00, 14:00, 17:00.
Weekend sessions at 11:00, 13:00, 16:00, 18:00.
Duration – 90 minutes.
Ticket with gift 4500 RUB (sweet gift and a board game). Price valid until December 12; from December 13 the price increases.
At the heart of the plot is a great literary mystery: the mysteriously missing second volume of N.V. Gogol's poem “Dead Souls.” Young detectives must solve this mystery by passing trials prepared by the Chief Archivist and the Keeper. They will be aided by AR/VR glasses, holograms and 360° video installations, laser mazes and radio-controlled models. At the end each participant receives a personalized “Detective Passport” and, most importantly, the chance to find the lost masterpiece and become part of a literary legend!
New Year's program “Meeting with Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden)”, 3+
January 2–11 with sessions at 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 15:00.
Program duration 1 hour.
Participation cost 400 RUB per person.
On other days the program is available for groups of 5 or more. A prior request is required and can be left by phone or e-mail +7 494 38 23 245 (Tue–Sun from 9:00 to 17:00)
tour@schelykovo.ru
The estate of playwright Alexander Ostrovsky is considered the birthplace of his fairy tale “The Snow Maiden.” In winter at Schelykovo the fairy heroine, together with her friend Zabavushka, greets guests and leads fun games and round dances. Afterwards guests do crafts — creating a bright Christmas tree ornament that everyone succeeds in making! Parents can join the program with their children or wait in the Reception Room, where you can take photos in the costumes of Ded Moroz and Snegurochka.
New Year's quest “Nedouchka and the Secret Incident” for children 7–12 years old
Events run from December 15 to December 30.
Duration: 90 min.
Cost 500 RUB. Advance booking required: +7 (843) 567-80-43; +7 (927) 410-5861
Children will face intriguing events: the cheerful and curious Nedouchka dreams of winning a New Year's drawing contest, but unexpectedly encounters a mystery: someone stole all the art supplies! Who is to blame? To solve this mystery, children will go on an exciting journey with the characters, meet artists and their tools, and learn about color theory in painting. By participating in the search and completing tasks, young detectives will learn the importance of friendship, honesty and mutual help. The celebration will end with a lively round dance with Ded Moroz and the creation of an unusual protective toy made of bast — a New Year's horse.
N.P. Lavyorov Geological Museum, Arkhangelsk
Master class “New Year's Mosaic”, 6+
The master class is held for groups of at least 6 people, Monday through Saturday. Registration via the museum's VKontakte group.
Cost 600 RUB.
Participants will learn about mosaics, production stages, the materials used, and get acquainted with the mineral resources used to color smalt. They will also take part in a quiz and, of course, create a panel or trivet in the smalt mosaic technique.
Class “New Year's Journey with the Military Medical Museum” for children 7–12 years old
From December 10, 2025 to December 21, 2025 and from January 3, 2026 to January 11, 2026.
Duration 70 minutes
Cost: 2000 RUB + entrance tickets for each participant. For organized children's groups one accompanying adult is free. Maximum number of participants per group: 15. Pre-registration required by phone: 8 (812) 952-55-43, 8 (921) 952-55-43.
Children and adults will learn how Christmas was celebrated in St. Petersburg and how New Year was observed in besieged Leningrad, visit a cadet corps and play fun winter games. Authentic items and documents from those years will help the children understand how the New Year's holiday healed the wounded, lifted the exhausted and always gave hope for a better future. During the session each participant will make a New Year's toy and light the lights on the museum's Christmas tree!
