The World of Russian Fairy Tales

The World of Russian Fairy Tales explores the rich traditions of old Russian fairy tales, preserved for centuries through folk art and storytelling. Colorfully painted on lacquer boxes and nesting dolls, presented in children’s books and modeled as Christmas ornaments, these fairy tales continue to amaze and amuse, and they do more than that: they preserve ancient wisdom carried by generations of folk storytellers through centuries. Some are all-time classics such as “The Frog Princess,” “Vasilissa the Beautiful,” and “Ivan Tsarevich, The Firebird, and the Grey Wolf.” Others are lesser known, such as “The White Duck.”

Adding to the texture of this remarkable display of objects from TMORA’s holdings is the Museum’s collection of folk toys. Deer with golden horns, fantastic birds, northern centaurs from Kargopol, and other unique toys produced in the remote villages of northern and central Russia arrived from several private gifts.

This season, the enchanted forest has grown with the arrival of Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, beloved figures from Russian winter folklore. These festive additions, presented as costumed figures wearing Soviet-era New Year masks, appear among fairy tale trees adorned with hand-crafted ornaments and a delightful array of figures from the Museum’s collection, including animals, storybook characters, and traditional seasonal motifs. These new additions invite visitors of all ages to explore the joy, creativity, and magic woven through Russia’s most cherished tales.

The display includes artworks from TMORA’s permanent and research collections. We are grateful to the donors who, over the last twenty years, gifted their remarkable collections to the Museum; and now TMORA gladly shares them with the Minnesota public.

The World of Russian Fairy Tales will be on view in the Main Gallery October 25, 2025 – January 25, 2026.