Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art

The Museum of Applied and Folk Art exhibits an extensive collection of ethnic arts and crafts from all over the Russian Federation. The museum was opened in 1981 to encourage the development and study of applied and folk art. The museum collection includes brightly painted matrioshkas and delicately carved figurines of alder, aspen and lime tree wood from the Gorky Region, wicker items crafted from birch bark from Rusia's northern Arkhangelsk, Ural and Siberian Regions, intricate lacework from the famous Volga, Lipetsk and Riazan Regions, Tarusa embroidery from Kaluga, delightful brightly-painted toys from the Kirov Region and highly detailed painted lacquer work from the famed Fedoskino, Palekh, Mstiora and Kholui craft centers. Visitors will also enjoy the museum's permanent exhibitions of artistic textiles from the 15th to the 17th centuries from the collection of the Shabelsky Princes, Soviet porcelain from 1917 to 1970, examples of clothing from the 18th to the 20th century and a unique collection of Russian samovars. The museum holds regular temporary exhibitions of arts and crafts from all over Russia and the Newly Independent States of the Former Soviet Union.