Kirov: Museums, samovars and historic Spasskaya Street

Kirov combines the city’s history with museums devoted to art, literature and regional crafts. On Spasskaya Street, you’ll find historic architecture and several cultural institutions; other highlights range from Russian art to the samovar tradition. When planning your trip, you can first decide which topics interest you most, then put together your destinations for your stay.

Spasskaya Street: a historic urban setting

Spasskaya Street is one of Kirov’s oldest streets; it dates back to 1784. Along a section that serves as a pedestrian zone year-round are the P. V. Alabin Kirov Regional Museum, the Chocolate Museum, the “Ledentsovo” candy workshop and the Spasskaya Youth Theatre. The streetscape also features the “Mesto vstrechi” art installation, a wrought-iron model of an ITALA automobile and the “Artiko” Ice Museum. Different cultural themes sit side by side here, from theatre and museums to artworks in public spaces.

From May to September, a large part of the street between Nikitskaya Street and Kazanskaya Street becomes a pedestrian promenade on weekends. The program includes themed concerts, master classes and tastings of national dishes. As this is a seasonal program, it’s a good idea to check the current schedule before your visit.

A tourist walking route also takes in the city’s historic setting: “Gates of the Russian North” consists of a short and a long route. Both meet at the “Gates of the Russian North” art installation on Spasskaya Square. If you’d prefer a guided tour of the historic centre, you can request one from the Kirov Regional Museum in advance for groups of five or more. Confirm the booking conditions with the museum directly when planning.

Museums of literature and Russian art

In addition to its permanent exhibitions, the P. V. Alabin Kirov Regional Museum holds more than 50 exhibitions each year for adults and children. Their subjects vary from year to year. The museum makes a good standalone stop if you’d like to explore a variety of exhibition themes during your visit.

The M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin House Museum focuses on the writer’s life in the Vyatka Governorate: its exhibition covers the reasons for his exile, his work there and the events that contributed to his return to St Petersburg. At the V. M. and A. M. Vasnetsov Vyatka Art Museum, visitors can view galleries from the permanent Russian art exhibition, which spans the period from ancient Rus’ to the turn of the 20th century. The museum also offers guided tours, museum programs for groups and other events. The history of literature and the history of art thus offer two different ways to explore Kirov’s culture.

Architecture and the samovar tradition

The ensemble of the Trifonov Monastery is a federally designated cultural heritage site of historical and architectural significance. It includes the Dormition Cathedral, the Gate Church, the Three Hierarchs Church and the Annunciation Church, as well as the abbot’s house, the brethren’s house and auxiliary buildings. St Alexander’s Church is another notable building in Kirov and a regional architectural monument. Those interested in religious architecture will find a range of examples here, though they should not be treated as a single building complex.

The Vyatka Samovar Museum offers a different focus. It features five historical reconstructions, including a recreated Vyatka craft workshop for making samovars, copperware and brassware. Guests can also enjoy a free daily tasting of traditional Russian drinks, prepared in a real charcoal-fired samovar. Please check before your visit whether the tasting is currently available.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Kirov, let these themes guide your trip planning: consider whether you’d like to focus on museums, architecture, theatre or regional craft traditions. Then choose accommodation whose location suits the destinations that matter to you during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Murygino, Rechnoy, Leninskoye, Lebyazhye, Verkhnyaya, Sivaya, Kirovo-Chepetsk, Sosnovka.

Return to the regional travel overview: Kirov Oblast.