Museum of Millstones

Vladimir Lvovsky: Long time ago, in 1979, when I was a little boy, I followed an archaeological expedition that was excavating a burial mound in the Marevsky district of the Novgorod region. I was surprised to see grown-ups sorting through clay shards and firebrands with such thoroughness. Before I met real archaeologists, I knew from textbooks that they worked in Greece and Egypt,

where they dug up beautiful palaces, pyramids and found the gold of Troy.

“But what about us?” I asked. I was told that our civilization was made of wood. All the cities that our ancestors built had rotted away.

I really wanted to get in touch with the history of my land.

So I kept thinking about it. And I found items that could preserve the memory of past generations — millstones and grindstones.

Millstones are mentioned in the Bible, mankind’s oldest book. There are also legends about millstones in Scandinavian folklore.”

Millstones are real artifacts of an ancient grain processing technique. They keep the warmth of the hands of our distant ancestors and can still be used today.

Elena Mikhailova: “A collection of more than 150 stone millstones and grindstones weighing from 5 to 800 kg is presented to the visitors in the format of a private family suburban museum. In just 6 km away from the Novgorod Kremlin, tourists can use ancient tools to grind grain and eat freshly baked flatbread, grind coffee and sugar, sharpen knives, make souvenirs, and have a rest following the way of the ancestors in harmony with the Fatherhood, nature and themselves.

The Millstones Museum is known for its “special events”. On the International Women of Color Day, Cameroonian woman ground grains with millstones and told the guests about her life in Veliky Novgorod as a woman engaged to a taxi driver in Paris. On the Interesting Tools Day, visitors learned about all kinds of sharpening tools: hand and foot grinders, wall-mounted and pocket-sized grinding stones. Together with Kirishi lace makers, guests of the museum saw the “Lace on Millstones” and made not only flatbreads but also lace doilies. The museum presents the millstones on traveling exhibitions in urban spaces at child autism fundraisers, art events, and Village Days. Five workshops on the origins of professions of a metrologist, a food technologist, a barista, a journalist, and a tour guide and entertainer based on the museum collection are popular among teenagers. In the miller’s hands the “origins of our daily bread” become clear and tangible!

Veliky Novgorod, Kilometer 9 of the Pskov highway, Energetik Gardeners’ Partnership

Tel.: +7 (911) 624-74-02, +7 (911) 601-85-03

E-mail: marevolev68@gmail.com, 53region@gmail.com

vk.com/zanovgorod

Working hours: 24 hours a day upon request and at the invitation of the owner

Ticket price: adults – 400 rubles, children – 300 rubles, group ticket – price on request.

Before planning your visit, please, contact us via the ways mentioned above to get detailed information about the visit.

Founder of the museum – Vladimir Mixailovich Lvovsky Museum of Millstones Museum of Millstones Museum of Millstones Museum of Millstones Museum of Millstones