Museum of Lace

On November 3, 2010 the event that had been expected in Vologda for more than 3 years took place – the only in Russia Museum of Lace was opened in the historical center of Vologda city (Kremlyovskaya square, 12) very close to the Vologda Kremlin. The museum is devoted to the traditional Vologda handicraft – lace weaving.

At the opening ceremony Vologda Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Pozgalev told about the idea of establishing the museum: “Three years ago during the TV Space Bridge with the Russian President one of the Vologda women expressed her request to help to preserve lace weaving in Vologda. This handicraft was dying due to many reasons and it should be saved. The President supported the idea that became the platform for further actions. The program for preserving this handicraft was developed and the creative group started a new project – national museum of lace”.

Vyacheslav Pozgalev noted the invaluable assistance of the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation in the opening of the Museum of Lace and thanked for the financial aid that the museum received during the final stage.

Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Ramazan Kaloev conveyed the greetings from the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Alexander Avdeev with the opening of the museum and noted that the museum became as nice as lofty and splendid the lace was.

A big team of professionals took part in opening of the museum: builders, restorers, museum workers and erectors of the exposition equipment. Repair and restoration works and scientific activity for forming the exposition of the National Museum of Lace with interactive forms were based on advanced technologies in international museum activity.

The total exposition square of the Museum of Lace makes 1500 square meters. The main exposition, devoted to the development of traditional handicraft of Vologda land and world tendencies of development of lace weaving from the end of XIX – beginning of XXI centuries, was placed in the suite of rooms on the second floor of the building.

The exposition is built in chronological sequence. The first hall is devoted to the European lace centers in Germany, France, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and the epoch of the origin of lace weaving (XVII-XVIII centuries) when lace wad made of gold and silver threads. In the main gallery the exponents reveal the following topics: “Lace in the peasant’s costume and ethnographic textile”, “Lace of 1920-1940-s”, author’s works of the designers of the association “Snezhinka” (Snowflake). One can see such lace works as a tablecloth “Snezhinka” by E.Elfina, a drop-curtain “Peaceful Moscow” by V.Veselova, curtain “Cocks” by K.Isakova and other.

The exposition was formed during many years. For example, in specialized theatre workshops costumes and footwear upon the model of the end of the XIX-beginning of the XX centuries were made according to special drafts; author’s lace works by the leading lace-weavers of Vologda and samples of lace from foreign lace centers in France, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Poland were purchased.

On the first floor there are exhibition halls, an art gallery-store, a lace café and a museum class.

The art design of the museum was made by Vologda artist-designer Sergey Ievlev. The lace surrounds the visitors not only in the exhibition showcases but in the interior of the lobby, wardrobe and café. The delivery and erection of the exposition equipment was made by Moscow, Saint-Petersburg and Vologda companies.

The new museum corresponds to all demands of visitors’ safety. The materials correspond to the European standards. Technical and exposition equipment allows to maintain the required microclimate in the rooms, to protect the exponents from the dust and sun-rays. Lacy pictures, tablecloths and napkins are exhibited in special vertical glass showcases and cassette holders that correspond to European criteria of protection from accidental destruction and breaking.

The appearance of such a museum cultural center in Vologda is justified by the phenomenon of Vologda lace. Vologda was and still remains the acknowledged center of lace weaving and the capital of Russian lace.

The new museum is expected to become the center for attraction of tourists, a visiting card of the region revealing the lace in all its diversity.

To reserve excursion, please, call: 8172-721656, 724497 (Director Julia Evseeva).