Totemskiy District: Museums, Literary History and Cultural Heritage

• The “Zhuravli” Museum is in the village of Nikolskoye, in the former zemstvo hospital.
• A museum in Nikolskoye is dedicated to Nikolai Rubtsov; more exhibits related to him can be found at the “Russkiy ogonyok” Museum.
• The Staro-Totemskoye gorodishche settlement site in Neklyudikha dates from the 13th century.

The “Zhuravli” Museum is housed in the “House on Stone Pillars,” a building that was part of the former zemstvo hospital. A guided tour of the house covers its changing uses: first it was a barracks building for the zemstvo hospital, later it served as an isolation ward for the district hospital, an orphanage for children from nearby villages and an office for an agricultural enterprise, before becoming a museum. This one building thus reveals a succession of different functions.

The Nikolai Rubtsov Museum in Nikolskoye has a different focus: it presents the history of the village, Rubtsov’s childhood in an orphanage, his life and the ethnographic exhibition “Po sledam minovavshikh vremyon.” It also houses numerous original objects associated with the poet. The themes bring local history and biography together, while the ethnographic exhibition offers another perspective.

Another place to see a collection is the “Russkiy ogonyok” Museum: about half of its exhibits are originals that once belonged to Maria Bogdanova. The museum dedicated to the poem “Russkiy ogonyok” in Anikin Pochinok admits visitors only by prior appointment for a guided tour. If you plan to visit, arrange this before your trip.

The Staro-Totemskoye gorodishche archaeological settlement site, dating from the 13th century, is in Neklyudikha. The Spaso-Sumorin Monastery complex belongs to another historical period: it dates from the 18th and 19th centuries and is on the outskirts of Totma. Together with the museums, these sites form a timeline from the medieval settlement site through the monastery complex to the museums and literary themes. Each site can be distinguished by its particular focus, without combining them into a single historical narrative.

The “Rubtsovskiy kostyor” festival is held annually from late July to early August. It includes poetry evenings around a campfire on the banks of the Tolshma. If the date matters for your travel plans, check the dates for the relevant year. Guided tours are also available in Nikolskoye, visiting private and school museums as well as the Church of St. Nicholas, which is described as being under reconstruction. This is distinct from the appointment requirement at the museum dedicated to the poem “Russkiy ogonyok”: there, guided tours are available only by prior appointment.

For a wider regional perspective, the surrounding Vologda Oblast offers an additional historical point of reference. The Northern Dvina waterway passes through Russkiy Sever National Park. Built between 1825 and 1828, it comprises five artificial canals and seven locks.

Discover more destinations: Cherepovetskiy District, Velikoustyugsky District, Kaduysky District, Sokolskiy District, Kikvidzensky District, Vologodskiy District, Vologodsky District.

What will you learn on a tour of the “House on Stone Pillars”?

The tour covers the building’s history: it successively served as a barracks building for the zemstvo hospital, an isolation ward, an orphanage, an office for an agricultural enterprise and a museum.

What distinguishes the museums in Nikolskoye?

“Zhuravli” is housed in the former hospital building. The Nikolai Rubtsov Museum is dedicated, among other things, to the poet, his childhood in an orphanage, his life and the history of the village.

When is “Rubtsovskiy kostyor” celebrated?

The festival is held annually from late July to early August; it includes poetry evenings around a campfire on the banks of the Tolshma. Check the dates for your travel year.

Can you visit the museum dedicated to the poem “Russkiy ogonyok” without an appointment?

No. Visitors are admitted there only by prior appointment for a guided tour. Arrange this in advance.

Go to the overview of the wider region: Vologda Oblast.