All the activities of the frosty season are united by the common theme “More than Winter”, which became a logical continuation of the main theme of Kolomenskoye’s anniversary year — “More than a Century”. We invite you not only to walk through the park area, go to the ice rink, ride the slides or go skiing, but also to look at exhibitions, visit excursions and take children to workshops.
KOLOMENSKOYE MUSEUM-RESERVE
ICE RINK
A 3,000 m² ice rink with natural ice cover has been opened on the Fairground. The pavilion is equipped with a warm changing room, a storage room, and a rental point where you can borrow skates of various sizes and special supporting equipment — an assistant figure skater. Kolomenskoye’s iconic sights are within walking distance from the ice rink: the Open-Air Museum of Wooden Architecture, the Estate of the Blacksmith and the Kolomna Peasant.
ROLLER COASTER
Two slopes are open on Lower Street. If you have your own tubing (90 to 110 cm in diameter), then visiting the slides will be free, and if you don’t have a “cheesecake”, you can rent it from a nearby car. We recommend that you first walk through the historic grounds of the Tsar’s Court, then go on a roller coaster ride, and then have lunch at one of the cafes on Shopping Street.
SKI TRACK
You can combine outdoor activities with exploring the winter landscapes of the museum-reserve on the 3 km long ski route. The route runs from the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
NEW YEAR WORKSHOPS
From January 3 to 6, the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich will host a series of children’s workshops “New Year’s Souvenir”. During the classes, children will learn about the history and traditions of the holiday, work with various materials: wax, paper, ceramics, from which, under the guidance of a museum teacher, they will create Christmas decorations and souvenirs.
At workshops by artist Viktor Matorin, you can take a walk around the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. This is a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the creative atmosphere: first, participants carefully study certain decorative elements, and then create works based on motifs.
SLEIGH RIDES
From December to March, everyone can ride around the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in a horse-drawn sleigh. If the weather gets little snow, then in a horse-drawn carriage.
SANTA CLAUS MAIL
Letters of wishes and congratulations to the winter wizard can be sent using the New Year Post box. They will be delivered to Santa Claus’s estate in Moscow weekly. The boxes accept letters until January 16. In Kolomenskoye, they are installed on Fairground, near the ice rink rental office, and near the Spassky Gate.
SCHEDULED TOURS
If you are thinking about how unusual it is to spend time with friends or a corporate party with colleagues, scheduled tours are one of the most convenient and interesting options.
You can admire snow-covered apple orchards and historical monuments on the “Winter’s Tale in Kolomenskoye” tour. You can learn about the history of falconry and watch birds fly on a special tour that takes place at Moscow’s only Falcon Yard. And if you like to go to inaccessible places at unusual times, come to the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich for the “Museum Adventure, or Evening Journey” tour, which takes place in the evenings only once a month.
INTERACTIVE PROGRAMS
The Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve is an ideal place to learn about the history of winter holidays. Participants in interactive programs will learn how New Year, Christmas and Christmas were celebrated in Russia in the 17th and 19th centuries, participate in folklore performances, and take part in Russian folk fun and games. Programs are made to order for organized groups: schoolchildren, students or tourists.
You can feel the spirit of the “Russian Winter” while walking around the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. After a story about the life of the royal family, lavish feasts and ancient traditions, visitors will be able to take part in a costume show, and then ride in horse-drawn carriages.
How did the residents of the village of Kolomenskoye celebrate the winter holidays? All the answers are in the program “Winter for Frosts, and a Man for the Holidays”, which takes place at the Estates of a Blacksmith and a Farmer in Kolomna. After a tour of the estate, you will make a New Year’s wax candle, which you will take with you as a souvenir, and then take part in a thematic folklore performance.
In the “Time of Winter Miracles” program, you can get acquainted with ancient Christmas rituals, hear the biblical story of the Nativity of Christ in a real nativity scene, and then visit the ancient Medovary, where you will enjoy games, dances and divination.
You can learn the history of Christmas and Christmas carols, as well as take part in youth rituals and games, in the “Christmas in Kolomenskoye” program.
EXHIBITIONS
The Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich features two festive exhibitions. The “Waiting for a Miracle” exhibition shows paintings, graphics, lacquer miniatures, carved bone and lace from the ROSIZO collection. More than 100 works give you the opportunity to get into the spirit of the winter holidays and return to childhood memories when faith in miracles was natural. “Russian Style in Art in the Late 19th — Early 20th Centuries” is the final exhibition of the anniversary year at the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve. The exhibition brought together works from the late Middle Ages and works by prominent artists who worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Elena Polenova, Mikhail Vrubel, Viktor Vasnetsov and others.
IZMAILOVO ESTATE
INTERACTIVE PROGRAMS
How did they celebrate Christmas and Christmas in the old days? The answer to this question can be found on interactive programs at the Izmailovo estate. You can also take part in folklore performances, traditional Russian folk games and fun. Programs are made to order for organized groups: schoolchildren, students or tourists.
The interactive program “Christmas Holidays in Izmailovo” will immerse you in the mysterious and joyful atmosphere of the winter holidays, and will also present St. Basil’s Cathedral of the 17th century and the Front Gate of the Tsar’s Court. The guide will tell you about Christmas customs and divination, the traditions of creating Christmas nativity scenes, and invite participants to try on slavier outfits. In the second part of the program, professional artists will sing traditional songs and cheer you up with Christmas fun. After that, guests will take part in a workshop where they will make a Christmas card with their own hands.
In the program “Here’s Christmas in the Yard”, you will be able to view the monument to Peter I, the Pokrovsky Cathedral, the Front Gate of the Tsar’s Court and visit the exhibition “Izmailovo — the Tsar’s Patrimony of the 17th Century”. Participants will be told what was the difference between celebrating Christmas in a peasant and aristocratic environment, how Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich and his son, the first emperor of Russia, Peter I. In the second part of the program, guests will become active participants in a traditional Christmas show: they will be able to try on carolers’ costumes, listen to ritual songs and even learn their fate during Christmas divination.
WORKSHOPS
The “In the Art World” studio is open on Wednesdays and Fridays. Artist Viktor Matorin invites children aged 5 and over and their parents to the workshops “Portrait”, “Still Life” and “Landscape”, where you can learn about the peculiarities of each genre and create your own works of art.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
On January 7, the family event “Christmas at the Izmailovo Royal Estate” will take place. The festive program includes carols, themed games and competitions, round dances, ditties and divination.
SANTA CLAUS MAIL
The New Year’s Post box is located in the square of the Tsar’s Court, at the entrance to the administrative building.
Source: https://travel.rambler.ru/
For any questions, please contact the author of the original text.