Exhibition "The Tale of Igor's Campaign"

About exhibition

"The Tale of Igor's Campaign" was written at the end of the 12th century by an anonymous author and, more than any other work of native literature, continues to attract public attention. The exhibition is displayed in 16th-century interiors — the refectory chamber and the abbot's quarters. According to the discoverer of the Tale, Aleksei Ivanovich Musin-Pushkin, it was here, in the Transfiguration (Spaso-Preobrazhensky) Monastery, that the ancient codex containing the poem was acquired at the end of the 18th century. Icons and manuscript books immerse visitors in the spiritual world of medieval Rus'. Archaeological objects stand alongside impressive reconstructions of ancient weaponry. Memorial items — antique furniture, books, and works of art — convey an impression of the Ilovna estate, where Aleksei Ivanovich Musin-Pushkin began his collecting activities. Of particular value from his unique collection is a Gospel from the early 17th century. Documentary evidence lifts the veil of mystery over the enigmatic history of the discovery and the loss of the Tale's manuscript. The first edition of the Tale, published in Moscow in 1800 and preserving the text of the ancient poem for posterity, has become a bibliographic rarity. The "Tale of Igor's Campaign" exhibition was created in 1985 with the participation and support of Academician Dmitry Sergeyevich Likhachev. Today it remains the only museum in Russia dedicated to this unique literary monument.