Kurovskoye: Folk Museum, Monastery and Guslitsa Culture

• The folk museum covers the city’s history from its earliest settlements to the present day.
• Its themes include customs, traditions, trades and cultural heritage.
• The monastery comprises three buildings constructed between 1879 and 1886.
• The museum offers painting and hand-weaving workshops for adults and children; availability may vary.

The Kurovskoye Folk Museum of History and Local Studies traces the city’s development from its earliest settlements to the present day. Its themes also include customs, traditions, trades and cultural heritage. The two exhibition halls include a room dedicated to everyday life and a room displaying interesting objects. Together, they focus on both the history of the town and different aspects of daily life.

The collections range from agricultural household items and objects from the Soviet era to toys, musical instruments, numismatics and archaeological finds, as well as medical equipment from various periods. They also include collections of butterflies and insects, paintings and military uniforms. Old household telephones, gramophones, samovars and antique wall clocks round out the selection. The exhibits bring together objects from everyday life and archaeological, natural history and art collections.

In one workshop, adults and children paint a souvenir in the local Guslitsa style. Another activity focuses on hand weaving. It also explores the history of weaving in the village of Kurovskaya, the workers’ settlement and the city of Kurovskoye. Participants can weave for themselves on a small handloom.

The two activities have different focuses: in the painting workshop, you create a souvenir; in the weaving workshop, you learn a craft technique by trying it yourself. If you want to include a workshop in your plans, check availability before your visit; activities may vary.

Guslitsky Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery consists of a stone, five-domed Transfiguration Cathedral, a refectory church dedicated to the Resurrection of the Word, and a bell tower. The three buildings were constructed between 1879 and 1886. The cathedral is built of red brick and is surrounded by ordinary buildings.

Another surviving architectural landmark is the former factory canteen, now known as the “Old Zamok” (“Old Castle”). It is one of Kurovskoye’s architectural monuments. A 2021 report listed the monastery as the first stop on the “A Day in Guslitsa” excursion route.

Traditional tea is served at the end of the museum visit. The blend includes herbs and berries such as St. John’s wort, linden blossom, mint, lemon balm, lingonberries, blueberries, raspberries and sea buckthorn. If this part of the visit is important to you, ask about its availability in advance.

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What history does the folk museum cover?

It covers Kurovskoye’s history from its earliest settlements to the present day, as well as customs, traditions, trades and cultural heritage.

What can you do in the museum workshops?

You can paint a souvenir in the Guslitsa style or weave something yourself on a small handloom. Both activities are for adults and children; check their availability in advance.

Which buildings are part of the monastery?

They include a stone, five-domed Transfiguration Cathedral, a refectory church and a bell tower. They were built between 1879 and 1886.

For the broader travel overview: Moscow.