Nicholas Roerich Estate Museum in Izvara
Nicholas Roerich
Estate Museum
in Izvara
O.A. Cherkasova «Museum as the center of ecological education»

In 2001 cultural and ecological mission of the museum developed in conduction of the Round table in St. Petersburg which attracted representatives of cultural and scientific societies, museums, institutes, mass media and concerned “Izvara in cultural space of Russia”, the main topic was the question about necessity of comprehensive study on nature and history of the monument and opportunity to use it as cultural, ecological and recreation center.

Step by step, following N.K. Roerich words: “To love the birthplace one should cognize it”, using all forms of work available in the museum, combining art and science with traditions of treatment of nature in Orthodox Christianity and other world religions, solving new and new practical issues in the museum’s space (including annual works on renewal of the mansion’s fur-tree prospective, planting of cedar pine grove, birches, maples and fur-trees near stumps of dead old trees, expansion of flower-beds around the mansion house, planting of the mansion garden and other season ecological works) the museum approached to the solution of the more difficult task: comprehensive studying of historical and natural monuments of Izvara and attraction of children to this work.


The idea to create Scientific and Practical Council on Comprehensive Research of Izvara as the monument of nature, history and culture on the base of N.K. Roerich’s museum emerged in 1990 when the strategy for the museum development was being worked out. Since then with a help of St. Petersburg specialists, who responded to the museum initiative, ethnographic, folklore and archeological expeditions were conducted in Izvara and surrounding lands. It was necessary to add these studies with expeditions for research of Izvara as the natural monument. After the Studying House of the Agricultural colony (1914, arch. A. Yakovlev) entering the museum ensemble the museum acquired the real opportunity to expand exposition which represents specific features of Izvara nature in perspective of Southern and South-West parts of Leningrad region as well as to set up permanent scientific base and cultural and ecological center.

In 2002 a new stage of the museum activity began: the treaty on cooperation of the museum and the Chair of Country studies and international tourism, St. Petersburg State University, Geographical faculty, headed by professor D.V. Sevastianov, DrSc in Geography, member of Presidium of Russian Geographical Society, was signed.

The museum started to organize children comprehensive expeditions on studying the nature of Izvara under supervision of scientists, the first was held in summer 2003. They managed to conduct lake-studying expedition (hydrobiological and hydrochemical research), botanic (dendrology studies of the park) and archeological ones. Thus, the work on ecological monitoring of Izvara as the natural monument almost began.

In winter 2002 and summer 2003 landscape studies of natural objects of Izvara and its surrounding territories as well as development of ecological tourist routes by experts of Geographical Faculty of St. Petersburg State University began.

In autumn 2003 on N.K.Roerich’s birthday the round table “Natural and cultural monuments of Izvara” was organized in the museum and attended by participants of 2003 expeditions including Zh. Solomina, post-graduate student of the Chair of Country studies and international tourism and schoolchildren of Volosovo district who delivered reports. The museum’s guests included L.Ya. Borkin, DrSc in Biology, head of St. Petersburg Scientist Council and A.G. Kireychuck, DrSc in Biology, member of the Coordination Council of St. Petersburg Scientist Council. At the same time this respected scientist cultures decided to participate in natural studies of Izvara.



Museum Address: 188414, Izvara Village, Volosovo District, Leningrad Region, Russia.
Phones: +7-813-73-73-273 (group tours); Phone/Fax +7-813-73-73-298 (general)
Museum Director: Cherkasova Olga Anatolievna E-mail: izvara@inbox.ru