The Mother’s House Museum

The museum (*don’t capitalize words like “museum” – please correct this in future translations) is located on the territory of the recreation center «Lenovo» (private property of the Gubanski family). In December 2012, the decision was made to showcase exhibits of Christmas toys from the XX century (the collection of Olga Gubenskaya’s parents, the number of which at that time was more than 300 items) and to conduct excursions for adults and children.

In 2013, the exhibits of the «My favorite Bear» were added. New Year-themed exhibits were displayed: costumes, Christmas decorations of the XX century in the context of collections and toys of 1950-2000, and excursions for adults and children were held.

In 2014, the «Objects of Rural Life of the XX century» exhibition appeared. The exhibits were placed on the walls of the center’s buildings outdoors. Work continued on a new search for Christmas decorations of the XX century and Soviet toys of the 1950s-2000s, and excursions for adults and children were organized.

In 2015, the «Samovars and Dishes of the XX century» exhibition was added to the museum, and was showcased in the Tea house building.

In 2016, the «Sports Equipment of the XX century» exhibition was opened. Its exhibits were showcased on the walls of the center’s buildings outdoors.

Searches for and purchases of the Christmas decorations and Soviet toys of the XX century continue. Excursions for adults and children are available.

In 2017, a souvenir shop selling modern toys and souvenirs with the logo «Lenovo» and the slogan «Let’s Live to 100 years!»was opened, as well as an online store for the purpose of selling duplicates of toys throughout Russia and adding new exhibits to the collection.

The following exhibits of Christmas toys based on famous fairy tales have been fully assembled: «Morozko», «Silver Hoof», «Stone Flower», «Aibolit», «Golden Fish», and «Thumbelina».

You can «read» the history of our country by examining our Christmas toys. You can find out what events took place, and see how people lived and what they were interested in during the Soviet era. However, you can probably find some of these decorations on Christmas trees at your homes. The Soviet Christmas toys were fundamentally different from those of the «Tsarist», pre-revolutionary period. In the old times, toys reproduced biblical topics, like angels, bells, Christmas, the star of Bethlehem, and others.