The main feature of the exhibition “The Tale of Mamai’s Defeat” is “Touching allowed!” Here you can see miniatures from the Chronicles, listen to the sounds of the middle ages, have a go in the weapons workshop and weave a fragment of chainmail; you can feel the weight of a weapon and try on a warrior’s armour. Your journey through the story of Mamai’s defeat ends with a model of the battlefield, where Dmitry Donskoy’s troops are lined up against those of Mamai.

The exhibition “Secrets of the Tula Craftsmen” features the traditional crafts and industries of the Tula area. This museum of local culture illustrates the world of the Tula craftsman – someone who could turn his hand to anything. The cornerstone of the exhibition is a genuine Russian ‘izba’ (a traditional house made of logs) with a kiln and benches – the craftsman’s corner. You can explore the secrets of the age-old Tula pottery and metalworking crafts. You’ll enjoy experiencing how the soft warm clay on the potter’s wheel becomes a piece of crockery; with a flourish, the potter marks his ornamental signature so his work can be identified.

You can also try your hand at making children’s toys. It takes just a few moments to weave a few bright scraps of material into a charm doll, though decorating clay toys requires a little more time and effort. These are the knick-knacks that Tula children would play with a hundred years ago; today’s tourists, when they return home to all of their modern-day technology and gadgets, take a little piece of ancient Russian culture with them in the form of a hand-made doll.