At the Museum of Matryoshka Dolls and Traditional Toys

On a cold October day, international students from Morocco, Syria, Algeria and India and the advisers of the Department of Foreign Languages were given a warm welcome at the Museum of Matryoshka Dolls and Traditional Toys located in the town of Semenov, Nizhny Novgorod region.

Matryoshka is one of the most recognizable symbols of Russia. This unusual wooden doll has always aroused keen interest among overseas students, so it was decided to get to know it better.

The students and the advisers went to meet matryoshkas by electric train. A good command of the Russian language came in handy at the ticket office of the railway station: etiquette forms of greetings and farewells, requests, – someone even kept a short conversation with the cashier!

At the museum, the students learned how a matryoshka was born – from a wood-turning lathe to a branded stamp on a lacquered doll; they saw "flying" and musical matryoshkas. The visitors were charmed by unique and unusual design of the wooden toys created by Semenov Art Manufactory together with the Finns.
  However, the final flourish was undoubtedly a master class in creating matryoshka dolls: the students decorated wood blanks with paints. Everyone got a traditional Russian toy under valuable guidance and advice of the museum staff.