 The Roerich's memorial estate in Izvara was initiated as a museum in 1984 to commemorate the place where the famous and highly respected Russian painter and philosopher Nikolai Roerich spent his childhood and youth. Though he was Russian by birth, his work and ideas belong to the international community and it's not only of his undertakings, no matter in which part of the world they were - in the Indian Himalayas, in the USA where he founded the Master Institute of United Arts and Cor Ardens (Flaming Heart) art group or in Russia, but also of the global spiritual, aesthetic and ethic truths and ideas that he introduced to the world. In his creative quest Roerich affirmed the power of human ability to perceive spiritual worlds in the Universe and reach an accord of inner and outer space.
The estate in Izvara belonged to his parents and 26 summers that Roerich spent here, admiring the beauty and tranquility of nature and enchanting sunsets, being into archeological digs and learning the history of Russia and its traditional culture, were the powerful beginnings of his development as an artist and thinker.
The museum preserves the main building with the porch, attic, towers and the detached houses of the estate, as well as centennial alleys and ponds of the park. The furnishings and other relics of the Roerichs family, early works by Roerich and copies of his later Himalayan landscapes are on display. A separate exhibit includes Russian icons, paying tribute to the fact that Nikolai Roerich created icons and painted frescoes in Russian churches. Another display is dedicated to the Indian period in his life.
A special exhibit of Shaposhnikova, a florist artist from St.Petersburg, is also on display. She uses floristics as a means to pursue the harmony of nature, bringing cosmic information and deserving our understanding, love and respect.
The museum houses the activities of the Historic and Cultural Centre Izvara - a non-profit organization embodying the Nikolai Roerich's motto - "Peace through Culture" - in supporting creative forces and culture understood as synthesis of art, science and religion.
The community activities of the museum include yearly celebrations of Nikolai Roerich's birthday, traditional Christmas Eves in the reception room of the main museum building, yearly festivals of children's art "Children to Children". "School of Crafts" is another undertaking of the museum.
Address:
the village of Izvara, Volosovsky district, Leningrad region;
phone (8-273) 732-73
Open hours:
10.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays
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Pearls of Russia 