The Karelian Compound in the Karelian izba Museum

The idea of creating the museum belongs to Irina Alexandrovna Polevaya (Korovina). According to the results of local history expeditions with children in Karelia, many ancient exhibits were collected; some of these were used in the children’s state institution of the Republican Center for Youth Tourism to create a museum classroom “Karelian izba” in the city conditions.

The idea arose to create such a museum in a village with a farmstead. The remaining exhibits were used to create the museum exposition “Karelian Farmstead”, which was used as a base for developing the interactive programs.

The hosts of the “Karelian Farmstead”, in national Karelian costumes, receive guests, talk about the material and spiritual culture of the Karelians, interactively familiarize guests with the traditions and rituals, play Karelian games, and treat the guests with Karelian tea with kalittoes and pies.

Examples of the interactive folklore and entertainment programs are: “In the Karelian Antiquity Land”, “Shrovetide”, and “We celebrate the New Year as the Karelians”.

The museum is a village house, the exterior and interior of which is stylized as a Karelian izba from the late 19th – early 20th centuries.