"Night of Museums" will be held in Vitebsk"

On May 17, 2014, from 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM, the Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local Lore invites citizens and guests of Vitebsk to participate in the international event "Night of Museums," which this year is held under the motto "Museum Collections Unite."

Events will take place in all branches of the museum.

The event will open at 2:00 PM at the I.E. Repin Estate Museum "Zdravnevo." Here, events will be dedicated to the 170th anniversary of I.E. Repin and will begin with laying flowers at the monument to the great artist. An exhibition of paintings by M. Elyashevich will be opened. Then, collectives will perform with festive programs: the Children's Music School of the urban-type settlement of Ruba, the folklore ensemble "Gleyna" (Gorodok), the folk song ensemble "Verkhovjane" of OJSC "Broiler Poultry Farm" (Verkhovye village).

Themed excursions and the action "Living Paintings by I.E. Repin" will be held along the museum's exposition.

Master classes will be held: landscape in watercolor technique (F. Gumenn), cut-out paper art (master E.G. Shushart), Belarusian belt weaving (master N.I. Yarmukh), carved wooden sculpture (amateur carver Savchenko L.A.), ink landscape (M. Elyashevich), plein air for students of Children's Art School No. 3 of Vitebsk "Maladzik."

The program includes round dances, folk games, songs (student ethnographic association "Pounach," Vitebsk), competitions in gorodki, croquet, darts, chess, checkers.

It will be possible to try dishes of national Belarusian cuisine (OJSC "Vitebsk Broiler Poultry Farm").

The events will conclude at 7:00 PM.

At 5:00 PM, the opening of the event will take place in the town hall.

The program includes: opening of the exhibition "Museum Rarities" (5:20 PM), fashion show of the costume collection "Vitebsk," theatrical miniatures on the themes of the Great Patriotic War, the play "Tribunal" (based on the play by A. Makayonok, 7:00 PM).

The museum's exhibitions will feature the following throughout the event: a weaving masterclass, a "Belarusian Charms" masterclass, "Ethno-puzzles" games and ethno-animation, the "Battle Sheet Online" competition, a "Revival of Old Photography" masterclass (photographer V.B. Andreev), "Wildlife of the Vitebsk Region" games and quizzes, an origami masterclass, and a meeting with biologist and taxidermist V.P. Biryukov.

Servicemen of the 103rd Mobile Brigade of the Airborne Forces will teach how to disassemble and assemble a Kalashnikov rifle, and how to put on a gas mask and a general-purpose protective suit (GPPS).

At the "Elegant Light Painting" photo studio, visitors can have their photos taken in the style of the late 19th – early 20th centuries and dressed as characters from famous paintings.

Everyone interested in the history and culture of the Vitebsk region can make a personal contribution to the museum's collections and participate in the "Gift to the Museum" campaign and competition, the terms of which will be posted on the museum's website.

The events will last until 8:00 PM, but for an additional fee, visitors can ascend to the observation deck of the town hall tower until 11:00 PM and admire Vitebsk from a bird's-eye view.

At 8:00 PM, the event will continue at the Art Museum with the opening of the exhibition of 19th-century embroidery "Elegant Creations of Women's Hands".

Throughout the event, there will be masterclasses by renowned Vitebsk artists (F. Gumen, L. Kovalchuk, A. Malea, O. Vorobchuk, L. Sorokina), and theatrical compositions "Living Paintings". Visitors can also explore art points: "Pantomime", "Belarusian National Patterns", "Souvenir Photo", "Blitz Portrait", "From the History of Cosmetics and Makeup" - "Lambre", and theatrical interludes with chanson music. A fashion show by the "Florial" Avant-garde Fashion Studio will take place (8:30 PM).

Fans of vocal and dance of the XIX century will be able to enjoy Russian romance performed by artists of the Vitebsk Philharmonic (20.30) and take part in the masquerade dance evening “Redoubts. Club of cultural and historical reconstruction “Paunochnaya vezha” (23.00)

The action “Territory of Chocolate Magic” by chocolatier Nikolya – the creation of a chocolate Eiffel Tower will take place.

And the event will end at half past midnight with a fire show performance “AGNI SHOW”.