The Museum of Tver Everyday Life is located on the northern bank of the Volga River, near the Afanasy Nikitin Embankment. Its collections are located in buildings located nearby. This is a two-storey house of the merchant Arefyev, built in the 18th century, as well as a 19th-century urban estate. The museum has extensive collections related to everyday life and crafts of the Tver region.
The Museum of Tver Everyday Life is a branch of the Tver Museum of Local Lore. The main building of the museum is located on Sovetskaya Street in the building of the former Real School, but the exposition there is significantly smaller. Therefore, if you want to get to know the history of the region better, then it is better to go to the Museum of Tver Everyday Life.
The house of the Merchant Arefyev was built in the period 1762-1768. The first floor of the Arefyev house was built with low vaulted ceilings typical of that period. On the second floor there are spacious rooms with high ceilings and stucco molding.
The historical interiors have been restored in the Arefyev house, and there is also an exhibition dedicated to various crafts that the peasants have been engaged in for several centuries. It is also interesting that Tsar Peter I, during his trips between the two capitals, stayed overnight at the house of the merchant Arefyev.
On the other side of the lane is a 19th-century urban estate, which also houses the exposition of the Museum of Tver Everyday Life. It consists of a main one-storey house, a carriage house and a barn. There is a well and outbuildings in the courtyard. This house has several interesting exhibitions: Russian samovars and Tver tea party, Visiting Tver merchants, Tver gingerbread house of the 19th century, decorative and applied art of Tver land. You can also see 19th century interiors and furniture here.