On October 7, 2025, the museum-estate Yasnaya Polyana opened the Children’s Center for Tolstoyan Pedagogy “The Ant Brotherhood.” It is located in the oldest building of the estate – the Volkonsky House. The opening was timed to coincide with Teachers’ Day, traditionally celebrated in Russia on October 5.
The Children’s Center includes a transformable hall and a hall with a permanent interactive exhibition “University in Bast Shoes.” The first space is designed for museum educational programs, conferences, lectures, seminars, and exhibitions. For each thematic program prepared by the Department for Work with Schoolchildren, special sets, costumes, and banners have been created. This hall will also serve as one of the theatrical venues for the Tolstoy Festival.
In the interactive space “University in Bast Shoes,” each visitor can learn about Tolstoy’s pedagogical ideas, the distinctive features of his school for peasant children, the life of the estate, and the everyday life of a peasant village. The space takes its name from the teacher-training seminary for public schools that the writer planned to establish.
The concept of the “University in Bast Shoes” was developed by the museum’s Department for Work with Schoolchildren over two years. The exhibition design was created by the museum scenography bureau Metaforma. This is not the museum’s first collaboration with the bureau. Earlier, Metaforma specialists designed permanent exhibitions in two other branches of Yasnaya Polyana: the “L. N. T.” Cultural and Exhibition Center in Tula and the Museum of Zemstvo and Urban History in Krapivna.
Visitors will find a variety of interactive exhibits: the “Yasnaya Polyana” busy board, a model of a peasant hut, the game “Male and Female Costume of the Tula Province,” a learning corner, methodological shelves with arithmetic and reading exercises, and more. The space also features a recording of Leo Tolstoy’s address to children, made on a phonograph in the early 20th century. The exhibition includes items from the museum’s collection related to Tolstoy’s pedagogical work. Throughout the year, the items will be rotated, allowing rare and previously unseen exhibits to be displayed.
The Children’s Center includes a transformable hall and a hall with a permanent interactive exhibition “University in Bast Shoes.” The first space is designed for museum educational programs, conferences, lectures, seminars, and exhibitions. For each thematic program prepared by the Department for Work with Schoolchildren, special sets, costumes, and banners have been created. This hall will also serve as one of the theatrical venues for the Tolstoy Festival.
In the interactive space “University in Bast Shoes,” each visitor can learn about Tolstoy’s pedagogical ideas, the distinctive features of his school for peasant children, the life of the estate, and the everyday life of a peasant village. The space takes its name from the teacher-training seminary for public schools that the writer planned to establish.
The concept of the “University in Bast Shoes” was developed by the museum’s Department for Work with Schoolchildren over two years. The exhibition design was created by the museum scenography bureau Metaforma. This is not the museum’s first collaboration with the bureau. Earlier, Metaforma specialists designed permanent exhibitions in two other branches of Yasnaya Polyana: the “L. N. T.” Cultural and Exhibition Center in Tula and the Museum of Zemstvo and Urban History in Krapivna.
Visitors will find a variety of interactive exhibits: the “Yasnaya Polyana” busy board, a model of a peasant hut, the game “Male and Female Costume of the Tula Province,” a learning corner, methodological shelves with arithmetic and reading exercises, and more. The space also features a recording of Leo Tolstoy’s address to children, made on a phonograph in the early 20th century. The exhibition includes items from the museum’s collection related to Tolstoy’s pedagogical work. Throughout the year, the items will be rotated, allowing rare and previously unseen exhibits to be displayed.
Posted : 7 october 2025