Leo Tolstoy museum and educational center appeared in Kazan

(Kazan City KZN.RU, August 29). Museum and educational center of Leo Tolstoy was solemnly opened today in Kazan. Honorary guests of the opening ceremony were Acting President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin, as well as heads of ministries and departments of the republic.

Museum and educational center is located in the former estate of Dedeva – Gortalov, where an outstanding writer and thinker Leo Tolstoy lived in 1841-1845. The main house is a cultural heritage site of national importance. The museum opens as a modern museum institution of a new type with interactive exhibitions and a broad educational function.

Rustam Minnikhanov visited the wings of the main house of the estate, where the pottery, wood carving workshop, recording studio, and a group of short-stay for students are located.

More than 130 million rubles has been allocated from the budget of the Republic of Tatarstan for the complex reconstruction of the estate. The study of archival documents, memoirs, reminiscences of contemporaries of Tolstoy, field studies have allowed the restorers to carry out the reconstruction of the historic interior of the main house and outbuildings, which provided life of the house in the XIX century.

In the main house the interior of rooms of Tolstoy brothers and aunt P.I.Yushkova were recreated on the autobiographical works of the writer, they acquaint with object world of aristocratic household of estate culture in Kazan at the first half of the XIX century. Biographical exhibition "L.N.Tolstoy and Kazan "and the electronic exposition "Life and work of Leo Tolstoy " present milestones of his biography and creativity.

Rustam Minnikhanov noted that the opening of the center takes place on the eve of the Republic Day and said that it was not by chance decided to create not just a museum, but an educational center. "We tried to change attitude to this, in terms that the 39th school is located here; we have attempted to combine the museum and school. And today we see that it was the right decision. Children should not just visit the museum, but also be engaged in handicrafts here, to study folklore, works of Leo Tolstoy" - said Rustam Minnikhanov. According to him, this is a pilot project which will be implemented in future in other areas, the portal of the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan says.

 "It is important that we educate the younger generation in the traditions that we need to save," - said Rustam Minnikhanov. He thanked architects, builders, representatives of the school, the National Museum of the Republic and the city administration for their work.