NEWS
The Museum of Happy Childhood, located in a nineteenth century mansion near pedestrian Bauman street, opened this spring. Like the Museum of Soviet Lifestyle, it is one of its kind in Russia and was opened to commemorate the Soviet era. "The brand was born in Kazan. When similar museums appear in other cities, we will help them," said the museum director Rustem Valiakhmetov.
The museum first floor is almost entirely filled with exhibits related to Soviet childhood. Desks with peeling paint, yellowed wall newspapers and primers, rigid backpacks with heavy metal buckles – all immerse visitors in the atmosphere of the Soviet model school. The common thread of the exhibition is the theme of Young Pioneers and proletarian slogans, inextricably linked with the personality of Lenin. A special feature of the museum is that it is completely interactive: visitors can try on red scarves and knitted hats, flip through books, sit on bikes and rattle toys.
The Day of Cyrillic Writing System and Culture, commemorating the Slavic alphabet’s founder Cyril and Methodius, is marked by many Slavic countries, including by Russia, on 24 May.
This year, the celebrations began with a national vocal marathon, participated including by Kazan.
The choral flashmob began in Russian cities at the same time, at noon.
On a stage installed in Kazan Kremlin’s Cannon Quad, Tatarstan’s State Chamber Music Choir, conducted by Milausha Tamindarova, Kazan Higher Military Command School’s orchestra, conducted by Jan Orekhov, New Music chamber music orchestra, conducted by Anna Gulishambarova, State Song and Dance Ensemble’s choir, led by Niyaz Garaev, as well as junior teams, performed.
A combined children’s choir sang some famous songs. Pieces by the composers Fedor Glinka, Petr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Prokofiev and Georgy Sviridov were performed. The singers presented military songs as well.
he Kazan’s Lenin museum, built in 1937, opened earlier in the day after a lengthy reconstruction. Distinguished visitors at the ceremony were acting Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Russian Communist Party Central Committee Chairman Gennady Zyuganov, Tatarstan Culture Minister Airat Sibagatullin, and others.
The museum is one of the oldest in Kazan and a significant culture monument commemorating one of the 20th century world’s most prominent political leaders in his younger years.
The reconstruction that lasted four years has allowed to conserve the piece of wooden urban mansion architecture of the 19th century’s second half. The Ulianov family lived in Orlova mansion’s two-storey extension between September 1888 and early May 1889. The phased work has resulted in the restoration and major renovation of the main building.
For the first time in many years, the exhibits were restored as well, allowing to preserve the memorial rooms’ unique atmosphere. The interiors, reproduced in the Soviet era with the help of family members’ recollections, have been added with new pieces, making the picture of the Ulianov family’s everyday life more complete.
Museum’s director Tatiana Basova said the museum had never been closed for visitors, except during the restoration period.
Following the tour, Gennady Zyuganov and Rustam Minnikhanov shared their impressions with reporters.
“It is a unique building,” Gennady Zyuganov said.
He then thanked Tatarstan authorities and Rustam Minnikhanov for the work done in Tatarstan to restore historical monuments.
History should be treated with care, Rustam Minnikhanov responded, saying many mistakes had been made in Kazan, resulting in valuable buildings being lost.
From Saturday, the Lenin museum will be available for visiting for general public.