10 best museums in Tula – list, photo, description, prices 2021, map
Tula is the city of weapons, literary and gastronomic glory of Russia. Samovars and gingerbread, gunsmiths, skilled craftsmen capable of shoeing even a flea, famous merchant dynasties, the first Russian industrialists – this is a city of workers, in which everything is genuine and reliable. Tula museums and monuments keep the original history of this land and its heroes.
Museum “Tula Gingerbread”
Open on working days from 10.00 to 17.00, ex. 10.00–16.00. One of the main symbols of the city of Tula – printed gingerbread – has been known throughout the world since ancient times. Mentions of Tula gingerbread have been found in historical sources since the 17th century. However, the Tula Gingerbread Museum appeared here only in 1996. It is located in the former outbuildings belonging to the Lyalin family of famous Tula gunsmiths.
Tells the story of his native land… in gingerbread. Everything, the most significant events, traditions, the life of ordinary people – everything is reflected in the art of Tula bakers, who carefully preserve the traditions of their ancestors. The recipe for gingerbread has been known since 1685, and until now, all gingerbread is made according to it – from the smallest to the giant ones.
You will be shown unique gingerbread cookies, told about the rituals and holidays associated with this favorite delicacy among the people, and shown the technology of their production. After the tour, guests are treated to tea with gingerbread. There is a shop where you can buy this delicious fresh souvenir. The area is small, so you need to sign up for a tour in advance – 2-3 weeks in advance. Excursions are held only until 16.00, its duration is 1 hour.
Necropolis of the Demidovs
The old noble family of the Demidovs glorified not only the Tula land. Representatives of this dynasty were industrialists, military leaders, patrons of the arts. In the very center of Tula in 1996, a museum of this illustrious family was opened. Its center was the Nikolo-Zaretskaya Church, built in the 17th century, erected at the expense and at the suggestion of Akinfey Demidov.
This is one of the main historical sights of the city and is a combination of baroque with the motifs of ancient Russian architecture, typical for the churches of Vladimir-Suzdal. Inside the church is the family tomb of the Demidov family. This is the only intra-temple dynastic necropolis that has survived in our country.
Near the temple stands a monument to Nikita Demidov. The opening was timed to coincide with the 340th anniversary of the birth of this gunsmith and the actual founder of the metallurgical industry of our country. In a small museum, which is located on the territory of the former settlement of Tula gunsmiths, from whose midst the Demidovs came out, samples of weapons of that time, household utensils, and rare images of members of the famous family are presented.
The tomb is open to the public only during the warm season – from May 01 to November 01, every day except Monday. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday you can visit it from 10 am to 1 pm, and on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – until 20 pm.
Tula Kremlin
This is one of the most famous fortifications in Russia, along with Moscow, Novgorod and Kazan. It was erected at the beginning of the 16th century by decree of Vasily III. At first they put up a wooden fortress, and later – powerful brick walls. The Kremlin includes 9 towers, 4 of which are travel towers.
In those years, the fortress was of great defensive importance for the southern borders of Russia, it really became impregnable – for the entire time of its existence it was never taken by the enemy. For ordinary townspeople, the Kremlin was not only a defensive structure, but also a home; private courtyards, churches, shopping arcades and even the first city street were located on the territory of the fortress.
After Peter's reforms and the annexation of the left-bank Ukraine to Russia, the Kremlin ceased to fulfill its fortification functions. However, it still remained a favorite place not only for the townspeople, but also for the authorities. Unique cathedrals are being built on the territory of the Kremlin – Epiphany and Holy Assumption, famous for their grandiose murals of the 18th century. In the 19th century, stone trading rows were built here. Now there are museums in the Kremlin. The Museum of Weapons is located in the Epiphany Cathedral.
It keeps the history of Russian military prowess and labor exploits of Tula artisans of many generations. And the Museum of Folk and Decorative and Applied Arts has everything that made up the habitual life of the townspeople of the past and glorified this region – the Filimonovo toy, Belyov lace, samples of porcelain dishes, finds from archaeological excavations that took place here.
The visit is free for milestones wishing. To view the towers and expositions, you need to buy tickets at the nearby Museum of Samovars. The Kremlin is open daily, except Monday: from Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 8 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday – until 6 pm.
Weapons museum
The Museum of Weapons at 2 Oktyabrskaya (in the “Helmet”) and in the Kremlin is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays. from 10:00 to 18:00 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday the working day is extended until 20:00 Day off – Monday, the last Tuesday of the month – a sanitary day. One of the oldest in our country. It traces its history back to 1724, when, by decree of Peter the Great, they began to collect the best examples of Tula cannons.
Soon this collection formed the basis of the Chamber of Rare and Exemplary Weapons, and at the end of the 19th century a special building was built for it. In 1924 it was opened to everyone. The museum survived the evacuation during the war. The exposition grew and did not fit on the territory of the arms factory. Then it was decided to move the museum to the premises of the closed Epiphany Cathedral in the Kremlin. It is located there today.
In 2012, a large building with a dome was built for the museum, shaped like a heroic helmet-shishak in the very center of the city. Now here are samples not only of ancient weapons made by famous Tula masters, but also military weapons of our time, including automatic weapons, as well as cold, throwing, sports and hunting weapons.
It has the richest collection of coins, historical documents, images and printed publications dedicated to this topic. Several halls of the permanent exhibition, they actively use multimedia demonstration tools. A separate hall is dedicated to weapons that were used in the First World War and the Great Patriotic War. There is a platform with an exposition of large military equipment.
Samovar Museum
Another, even proverbial, symbol of the city is the Tula samovar. Hospitable hospitality and tea ceremonies of Tula have been known since ancient times. Since 1990, a museum dedicated to samovars has been opened. It is housed in an old building near the Kremlin. Here they will tell about the history of the origin of the production of samovars, about the first samovar makers – the Lisitsyns and the best “samovar dynasties” – the Batashevs, Fomins, Shemarins.
The most interesting specimens are collected here – from the smallest to the giant samovar, “children's samovars” made for the family of Nicholas II. There is a souvenir and samovar shop. The work schedule is traditional: Monday is a day off. On other days it is open from 10 am, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays – until 18.00, and on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – until 8 pm. A sanitary day is arranged on every last Wednesday.
Veresaev House-Museum
The museum of the Russian writer, Pushkinist V. V. Veresaev (Smidovich) has been opened in the only manor house that has been preserved in the city. It is open every day except Monday from 10 am. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday it closes at 6 pm, and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday it is open until 8 pm. It is open at the writer's parental home. Here he lived from birth until entering St. Petersburg University.
His further life and work were connected with Moscow. The Smidovich family was very famous in the city.
The writer's father stood at the origins of the founding of the city hospital, he himself worked as a doctor and was the initiator of the establishment of a sanitary commission in Tula, and his mother opened the first kindergarten here. It was located right here, in the house of the Smidovichs.
The exposition tells about the life of the Russian intelligentsia, about the childhood years of the writer. Household items of the family are collected here, the interior of the living room, library and the writer's office in Moscow is reconstructed, many original documents, photographs, autographs of the writer are presented. Meetings with writers, literary figures, musical and literary compositions are often held. Around the house, the former estate orchard was restored, a birch alley was planted, the atmosphere of the estate of V. Veresaev's childhood was recreated.
Tula Motorcycle Museum “Moto-Auto-Art”
The founder and owner, its main custodian is Leonid Zyakin. He began to assemble motorcycles produced at the Tula Machine-Building Plant, including unique vintage ones, back in the 80s of the last century. Gradually, more and more equipment became available, and in 2008 the owner registered the private collection as a museum of motor vehicles. But it officially opened only in 2014, although long before that it became known to the people, and lovers of automotive equipment regularly came to Leonid Pavlovich in the village of Kharino.
The collection contains rare specimens not only of the Tula plant, but also of other manufacturers, including one of the first Soviet motorcycles. All equipment is restored and repaired right here, at the repair and restoration base of the museum. Leonid Pavlovich himself conducts tours, shows unique models and tells their story to his guests.
Tula Regional Art Museum
It has been officially operating since 1919. However, its main fund was collected in the 19th century, when the Ancient Storage was created, later renamed the Chamber of Antiquities. Immediately after the revolution, the commission for the collection of art treasures nationalized art objects from noble houses and estates.
These values, together with the fund of the Chamber of Antiquities, formed the basis of the Art Museum that was opened. During the war, the unique collection of the Tula Art Museum was saved thanks to the evacuation of all valuables to Siberia. In 1945 they returned home.
There are three permanent exhibitions: Russian art, Western European and contemporary.
Domestic art is represented by the work of artists starting from the 16th century. Here are collected ancient icons, paintings by Polenov, Surikov, Shishkin, Kustodiev, Serov, Malevich.
In the Western European hall, in addition to graphics and applied art, you can enjoy the paintings of Italian and Flemish artists, here are some works of the “small Dutch” – Molenar, Wonka, Jason.
The hall of contemporary art presents the works of great artists of the early 20th century: impressionists, cubists, constructivists, “World of Art”, futurists, etc. – Malevich, Goncharova, Kandinsky, Nesterov, Petrov-Vodkin and others. There are also canvases of representatives of socialist realism and modern trends in fine arts.
Several branches, one of which operates on the territory of the Tula Kremlin. Open daily, except Monday, from 10 am. Open until 8 pm on weekdays and close at 6 pm on weekends.
Tula Regional Museum of Local Lore
Founded in 1919, also on the funds of the former Chamber of Antiquities. And in 1927 it was transformed into a local history department. Since 1932, it has been located in an old merchant's house built at the very end of the 18th century. This house once belonged to the merchant Beloborodov, it was built in the Baroque style, had a mezzanine, was decorated with ornaments and artistic casting.
More than 140 thousand exhibits are stored here, reflecting the life of Tula and its environs for many centuries: these are the famous Tula samovars, the Filimonov toy, finds of archaeological expeditions and scientific research, rare books, collections of ancient coins, orders, things belonging to famous residents of the city.
Each hall is decorated in an individual style, they use modern multimedia systems that allow interactive tours and lectures. Thematic excursions, meetings with interesting people, children's quizzes and competitions, presentations, exhibitions are often held. You can visit any day except Monday. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 8 pm.
Museum “Tula Necropolis”
The idea of creating this complex belonged to the oldest local historian of Tula, Archpriest Rostislav Lozinsky. It was he who expressed the idea that ancient cemeteries are of great interest from the point of view of history and culture.
In the 1980s, he organized the Tula Necropolis Society, which was engaged in the study and restoration of ancient cemeteries. The museum began to work in 1998, after the death of Lozinsky. The complex includes three old buildings of the 18th century (they house the permanent exhibitions “Kraft's House” and “Old Tula Pharmacy”) and three cemeteries of the same time – All Saints, Spasskoe and Solunskoe. This is almost 10 thousand highly artistic tombstones.
Representatives of the noblest Tula families, relatives of Pushkin and Chekhov are buried here. Employees continue to study ancient monuments, put in order abandoned graves. Excursions are conducted, which not only examine ancient burials, but also tell about the life history of famous Tula masters, noble families, cultural figures, reveal the secrets of historical cemeteries, study the architectural style and Christian symbolism of monuments. Separate excursions are devoted to military memorials.
The complex is open to the public from Wednesday to Saturday from 10 am to 7 pm, and on Sundays from 11 am. Closed on Monday and Tuesday.