The history of the creation of the Museum of the Rooster in the city of Petushki, Vladimir Region, began long before its official opening at the end of April 1997.
On the eve of 1993, the year of the Rooster according to the Eastern calendar, the artist, journalist and collector Kornilov Nikolai Izosimovich invited his friends and colleagues – artists and masters of arts and crafts to draw or make a bird of the year. They set to work with enthusiasm.
Everything that the participants of this project created was exhibited in Moscow, and throughout 1993 Muscovites and guests of the capital came to watch this spectacle. But the Year of the Rooster was over, and it was necessary to decide what to do next with this unique collection. There was an idea to create a museum. And where, if not in Petushki, to open the Museum of the Rooster?
City of Petushkioznik as a village station of the same name (was opened in 1861), named after the neighboring village of Petushki (first mentioned in the first half of the 17th century, now Old Cockerels). In 1926, the station settlement was transformed into the urban-type settlement Novye Petushki. In 1965 the settlement was transformed into the city of Petushki. There are four legends explaining the city’s name:
- from local toys-whistles in the form of cockerels;
- according to custom, put the severed head of a rooster in a corner at the foundation of the house;
- from chimneys in the form of roosters (they are still preserved onwhichhouses);
- from robbers Kudeyarawarningformerabout his appearance with a cock’s cry.
The formalities with the allocation of premises and work on the interior design of the museum took more than three years. And now the fabulous town, which was invented and created by the artists Andrei Kurashov, Vasily Vyatich and Irina Sinitsyna, opened its doors to visitors on April 29, 1997. Now over 6,000 people visit the Rooster Museum every year. And everyone will certainly be met by the rooster Petrovich, with whom those who wish can take a picture.
The main character of the museum is made of glass, crystal, clay, wood, metal, multi-colored threads, shreds, beads, shells. Handicrafts: golden Khokhloma, delicate blue and white Gzhel, motley gorodets, intricate patterns of Vologda lace. There are roosters from different countries of the world and each with its own history.
Here you can find out what happened before: a chicken or an egg, how eggs are dyed and why, what it means to “set a red rooster” and how roosters crow in different countries, and at the same time crow in a magic chicken coop to fulfill a wish that will certainly come true!
See how our ancestors lived and what they used, learn the customs of divination on a rooster, how the cockerel whistle helped and much more.
And what paintings did the artists create about the main character of the museum:
- Rooster-fire,
- Rooster-evil,
- Polygamist,
- Master,
- Braggart,
- Fighter,
- watchman,
- brave,
- Singer,
- Blacksmith
- and just handsome…
And from May to July, chickens live in a special cage in the museum.
The Rooster Museum holds master classes on painting wooden magnets-roosters, porcelain figurines of a rooster, and making handmade postcards. Tea parties are held with pies and lollipops (both pies and lollipops are produced by the enterprises “Pokrovsky bread” and “Vladimirsky gingerbread”).
The museum has a permanent exhibition of wooden toys craftsman Sergei Timofeevich Saunov “Cock Kingdom”. In 1981, having retired, he could not sit idle and began to carve small figures from birch branches and branches. Sergei Timofeevich shared his skill with the guys in the “Skillful Hands” circle at the House of Culture. The master’s works were exhibited at various exhibitions and were awarded diplomas and certificates. In 2004, Sergey Timofeevich Saunov, a master toy maker, died of a heart attack, but his unique collection of wooden toys was permanently registered in the exposition of the Rooster Museum.
Also, the museum is currently hosting the exhibition “Cock’s Paradise”, which presents a private collection of Muscovite Fedoseev Alexander Sergeevich, numbering almost 3,000 exhibits from the 19th century to our time. In the exhibition you can see rare, custom-made, gift copies, giving a comprehensive idea of the activities of a variety of souvenir factories, porcelain factories and private craftsmen. Works from Gzhel, Dulevo, Kirov, Verbilka, Riga, Minsk, as well as factories from Europe and Asia, America and Japan are presented: Karl Enns, Royal Copenhagen, Gebel, Ladro, Hutchenreuther and many others.
Founder of the museum – artist, journalist and collector Kornilov Nikolay Izosimovich, President of the International Association “Art of the Peoples of the World”, Honored Art Worker of Karakalpakstan, Knight of the Order of St. Prince Daniel of Moscow for his merits in the revival of the spiritual life of Russia. AtFounder – Administration of the Petushinsky District.
The address: Vladimir region, Petushki, Sovetskaya square, 17
