Educational work

The basis for cultural and educational work in the museum was formed already in the 1930-s. First of all, it consisted of excursions. But the forms of educational work were gradually enlarged and the museum received more and more visitors. At present the Kirillo-Belozersky museum-reserve is a famous museum and tourist centre. Over the last years the cultural and education work has been lived up. Its system is formed by excursions, thematic lessons, lectures, thematic activities, master-classes, viewing of video films, creative contests, presentations and others. Every year more than 200 thousand tourists from all over the world visit the museum and its branch. The cultural and educational work is directed at patriotic, moral and aesthetic upbringing on the basis of knowledge of history and culture of the region. It is determined by the following museum programs: “Museum and school”, “For you, students”, “Students have practice”, “Let’s get acquainted with the museum”, “Meeting with an interesting person”, “All the year round”, “Folk workshop”, “Travelling museum”, “Hurrah! We have holidays”, “Meetings in the museum”, “To the museum with the whole family”.

During the holidays – “Snow-covered town” and “Town and its museum” – new exhibition are opened, creative groups give performances, playing programs with contests, quizzes, master-classes are prepared for children.

The following artistic studios work there: “Flower”, “Painting of Kirillov”, “Lada”. Their goals are to form children’s interest to the Russian culture and traditions of their region. At the lessons of the society “Young guide” boys and girls get acquainted with the Russian culture, the history of the monasteries in the Belozersk district, the history of a Russian book, the folk culture.

The museum holds contests of children’s creative works. They are directed to attract attention of the children and youth to the history and culture of their native town, to brisk up their creative activity. According to the result of the contests exhibitions are usually arranged.

The employees of the museum organize master-classes and “Days of the master” on the following subjects: Kirillov painting, clay toys, folk dolls. Sometimes amateur craftsmen are invited to hold the lessons: I.V. Luzhinskaya, M.N. Vasilyev, N.A. Borovikov, M.A. Sysoeva. The museum has been cooperating with them for many years.

One of the types of educational work is temporary and mobile exhibitions, on the basis of which we can organize meetings not only with the children in Kirillov, but also in the village schools, kindergartens, houses of culture. The museum undertakes complex trips so that children could visit the exhibition, attend the lecture and participate in playing programs.

Every year seminars of local studies and conferences for teachers, students and pupils take place there. The employees always give methodic assistance to the school and municipal museums of local lore.

The cultural and educational activities of the museum become a priority direction and are in the course of modern tendencies.

Museum programs have address character and include the whole spectrum of themes, types, genres, ways and methods of work with the audience. Along with the traditional forms the museum is looking for new ways and forms of dialogue with the visitors.