New Year and the January holidays are a great reason to take a magical trip with the whole family. In this article we've compiled the country's most festive New Year museums that you can visit during the winter holidays. This exciting adventure will stay with you for a long time.
The House of Ded Moroz in Veliky Ustyug
The main residence of Ded Moroz is located in the Vologda Region, 10 kilometers from the town of Veliky Ustyug. The fairy-tale House of Ded Moroz is open year-round — you can visit in winter or summer. The winter ruler's residence sits on a large estate: there is a winter garden, a ropes park, a smithy, a cascade of ponds and a small zoo with foxes, eagle-owls and bears. In addition, there is the Trail of Fairy Tales on the grounds, where visitors solve riddles, take part in quests, and meet magical animals and characters from Russian folklore — Baba Yaga, Nightingale the Robber, the Cat, the Bear, the Hedgehog and others. In the cafes and stalls on the estate visitors can buy sweets, hot drinks and souvenirs. Guests from other cities and tourists can rent a cozy room at a hotel on the Ded Moroz estate.
Museum of New Year and Christmas Ornaments
Veliky Ustyug is famous not only for the Residence of Ded Moroz. The town also has a museum whose exhibition is dedicated to one of the oldest New Year and Christmas traditions — decorating the Christmas tree. At the Museum of New Year and Christmas Ornaments visitors learn about the history of the tree ornament in Russia and Christmas traditions of other countries. The museum's collection includes New Year decorations from the 20th and 21st centuries, featuring characters from Russian folk tales, airships, Soviet polar explorers and cosmonauts, and even toys shaped like metro stations.
The Terem of the Snow Maiden
Kostroma is not called the birthplace of the Snow Maiden (Snegurochka) for nothing — the image of Ded Moroz's granddaughter in the play of the same name was immortalized by the famous playwright Ostrovsky. The idea for the work originated in these parts: Ostrovsky was inspired while staying at his family estate near the village of Shchelykovo. The Terem of the Snow Maiden is a picturesque residence of Ded Moroz's granddaughter located in the city center. Visitors can expect an engaging program. The tour includes a meeting with Snegurochka and her helper — the Cat — a fairy-tale account of the origins of Snegurochka and Ded Moroz from Veliky Ustyug, and explanations of New Year traditions. In the terem you can admire a collection of New Year trees made by children aged 6 to 14 using various craft techniques. A special part of the program is the ice room, where children try lemonade with snow, and adults are offered sweet medovukha (honey mead).
Museum of Cotton Toys
The Museum of Cotton Toys is located in central Moscow. The museum's exhibition introduces the history of cotton (wadded) toys. The collection includes vintage toys and rare Soviet-era exhibits made by artels from Leningrad, the Moscow region, Sverdlovsk and other cities, as well as contemporary works by dollmakers. The oldest and most venerable exhibit — the Clown with a Hoop — is over 80 years old! The museum's festive New Year program includes a quest, a workshop on making cotton toys, and a gift from Ded Moroz.
Christmas Ornament Factory
The ornament factory operates in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Both factories offer the same tour program, during which visitors learn the history of toys and New Year characters from different countries and see New Year exhibits from various eras. Guests learn the secrets of making glass ornaments and can decorate a glass bauble with glitter themselves in a workshop. You can also attend a traditional tea party with baranki (ring-shaped bagels) and sweet rusks.
