What are the best urban summer camps in Washington DC. How do these camps utilize the city’s resources for education and fun. Which camps offer unique experiences for children in the nation’s capital.
Capital Cycle Camp: Pedaling Through DC’s Attractions
Capital Cycle Camp offers a unique summer experience for children in Washington DC, combining cycling with urban exploration. This innovative program takes kids on two-wheeled adventures throughout the city, visiting iconic landmarks and participating in community service projects.
Key Features of Capital Cycle Camp
- Suitable for children from first grade through middle school
- Campers must be proficient at riding a two-wheeled bicycle
- Group sizes range from 16 to 30 kids per week
- Camper to staff ratio of 6:1
- Extended hours from 9 AM to 6 PM
- Bike loans available for children who don’t own one
How does Capital Cycle Camp incorporate educational elements into its program? The camp blends outdoor activities with learning opportunities, such as visiting the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, exploring the National Building Museum’s summer exhibits, and engaging in community service projects. These experiences provide campers with a well-rounded understanding of their city’s culture, history, and civic responsibilities.
A Typical Day at Capital Cycle Camp
What can children expect during a day at Capital Cycle Camp? The program typically includes:
- Morning meetup at a Capitol Hill church
- Bike ride to the day’s first activity (e.g., visiting a museum or park)
- Lunch break
- Afternoon activity (e.g., community service project or pool visit)
- Return to the starting point for pickup
Why does Capital Cycle Camp prioritize a flexible schedule? Ben Berkow, the camp’s founder and a former DC Public Schools teacher, intentionally avoids overprogramming. This approach allows children to fully engage with each activity and appreciate the simplicity of exploring their city.
Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp: Diverse Urban Experiences for Young Explorers
Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp, founded by Beauvoir school librarian Tony Hurst, offers an affordable and educational city camp experience for children ages three to eight. This popular program has grown from just five campers in its first year to over 450 participants across seven weeks in recent summers.
Weekly Themes at Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp
How does Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp structure its weekly activities? The camp follows a diverse schedule that includes:
- Two days focused on nature exploration
- Two water-play days
- One day dedicated to cultural experiences
This varied approach ensures that children engage with different aspects of urban life and Washington DC’s numerous attractions.
Exploring DC’s Attractions with Mr. Tony
Where do children visit during Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp? Some popular destinations include:
- Capital Candy Jar for sweet-making lessons
- Spray fountains at the Wharf
- National Arboretum for nature hikes
- Discovery Theater for performances
- Fort Dupont Park, Meridian Hill Park, and Anacostia Park
- National Zoo
- National Museum of the American Indian
How does Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp accommodate different age groups? While the main program caters to children aged three to eight, those nine and older can participate as counselors in training. This structure allows for peer mentorship and leadership development opportunities.
Urban Adventure Squad: Year-Round Outdoor Education in the City
Urban Adventure Squad began as a solution for working parents during school closures and has evolved into a comprehensive year-round program with a summer camp component. This innovative approach to urban education caters to children from first grade through middle school.
Partnerships and Programming
How does Urban Adventure Squad create its educational content? The program collaborates with various organizations in Washington DC and nearby suburbs to develop engaging and informative activities. This partnership-based approach allows for a diverse range of experiences that showcase the best of what the city has to offer.
What types of activities do Urban Adventure Squad participants engage in? While specific details weren’t provided in the original text, we can infer that the program likely includes:
- Visits to museums and cultural institutions
- Outdoor adventures in urban parks and green spaces
- Hands-on learning experiences with local businesses and organizations
- Community service projects
- Educational workshops on topics related to urban life and sustainability
The Benefits of Urban Summer Camps in Washington DC
Why are urban summer camps gaining popularity in Washington DC? These innovative programs offer numerous advantages for children and families:
1. Exploration and Familiarity with the City
How do urban camps help children better understand their environment? By exploring various neighborhoods, attractions, and resources, kids develop a deeper connection to their city. This familiarity can foster a sense of belonging and civic pride.
2. Diverse Learning Opportunities
What educational benefits do urban camps provide? Children are exposed to a wide range of subjects, including history, culture, science, and the arts, through visits to museums, parks, and local businesses. This variety keeps learning engaging and helps children discover new interests.
3. Physical Activity and Outdoor Time
How do urban camps promote an active lifestyle? Whether cycling through the city or hiking in urban parks, these programs encourage regular physical activity and time spent outdoors, which is crucial for children’s health and well-being.
4. Social Skills and Community Engagement
What social benefits do urban camps offer? By participating in group activities and community service projects, children develop important social skills, empathy, and a sense of civic responsibility.
5. Independence and Urban Navigation Skills
How do urban camps foster independence? As children learn to navigate the city using public transportation and explore various neighborhoods, they gain confidence and develop important life skills for urban living.
Choosing the Right Urban Summer Camp in DC
How can parents select the best urban summer camp for their child? Consider the following factors when making your decision:
Age Range and Group Sizes
What age groups does the camp cater to? Ensure that the program is appropriate for your child’s age and developmental stage. Also, consider the camper-to-staff ratio to ensure adequate supervision and attention.
Activity Focus and Variety
What types of activities does the camp offer? Look for programs that align with your child’s interests while also providing a diverse range of experiences to broaden their horizons.
Transportation and Logistics
How does the camp handle transportation between activities? Consider whether you’re comfortable with your child using public transportation or if you prefer programs with dedicated vehicles.
Schedule and Duration
What are the camp’s hours and weekly options? Choose a program that fits your family’s schedule and offers flexibility in terms of attendance (e.g., single-week options vs. full summer enrollment).
Cost and Value
How do the camp’s fees compare to other options? While considering the cost, also evaluate the value provided in terms of activities, supervision, and overall experience.
Preparing Your Child for an Urban Summer Camp Experience
How can parents help their children make the most of an urban summer camp? Consider these tips to ensure a positive experience:
1. Discuss Safety and Urban Awareness
What safety precautions should children know? Talk to your child about urban safety, including traffic awareness, stranger danger, and the importance of staying with the group.
2. Practice Using Public Transportation
How can you familiarize your child with public transit? If the camp uses Metro or buses, take some practice trips with your child to build their confidence in navigating the system.
3. Encourage Openness to New Experiences
How can you foster a sense of adventure? Discuss the variety of activities and places your child might encounter, encouraging them to approach new experiences with curiosity and enthusiasm.
4. Pack Appropriately
What should your child bring to urban camp? Ensure they have comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, and any other items recommended by the camp organizers.
5. Set Expectations
How can you prepare your child mentally for the camp? Discuss the camp’s structure, potential challenges, and the exciting opportunities they’ll have to learn and explore their city.
The Future of Urban Summer Camps in Washington DC
What trends are shaping the future of urban summer camps in the nation’s capital? As these programs gain popularity, we can expect to see:
1. Increased Integration of Technology
How might technology enhance urban camp experiences? Future programs may incorporate augmented reality for interactive city tours, use apps for educational scavenger hunts, or leverage social media for documenting and sharing camp activities.
2. Expanded Partnerships with Local Organizations
What new collaborations might emerge? Urban camps may forge partnerships with an even wider range of businesses, non-profits, and government agencies to offer unique behind-the-scenes experiences and specialized workshops.
3. Focus on Sustainability and Environmental Education
How will urban camps address environmental concerns? Future programs may place greater emphasis on teaching children about urban sustainability, green spaces, and eco-friendly practices within the city context.
4. Customizable Experiences
What personalization options might become available? As urban camps evolve, they may offer more tailored experiences, allowing children to focus on specific interests or skills while exploring the city.
5. Year-Round Programming
How might urban camps expand beyond summer? Following the model of Urban Adventure Squad, more programs may offer year-round options, including after-school activities and weekend excursions.
Urban summer camps in Washington DC offer a unique and enriching experience for children, combining education, adventure, and community engagement. By utilizing the city’s vast resources and attractions, these programs provide an innovative alternative to traditional summer camps. As urban camps continue to evolve and gain popularity, they are poised to play an increasingly important role in shaping how children interact with and understand their urban environment.
4 Summer Camps That Turn DC into One Big Playground
At Capital Cycle Camp, kids explore the city on two wheels, biking to museums, parks, and service projects. Photograph courtesy of Capital Cycle Camp.
Forget popsicle crafts and canoeing. Letting your kids roam city streets—with supervision, of course—is the new summer camp.
Let’s call them urban camps. But by that we don’t mean camps that just happen to be within city limits. Rather, these are programs that, instead of hosting kids at a specific site, take them out to enjoy and learn from all the free and accessible resources Washington has to offer. Your children can spend the summer exploring local parks, museums, and businesses, plus participating in community projects—while riding Metro and getting to know their city in a new way.
The following are a few day camps whose boundaries are limited only by the hours of the day and the ends of the Metro lines. Each blends outdoor education, community immersion, and fun.
Capital Cycle Camp
This is summer on wheels—two, to be exact. Kids pedal from activity to activity throughout DC. A week might include biking around the Mall, visiting the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, watching planes at Gravelly Point, climbing through the summer exhibit at the National Building Museum, or working on community-service projects.
The camp has been run for the past six years by Ben Berkow, a former DC Public Schools teacher who recently started working as a research analyst in information systems focused on education.
Cycling is merely the mode of transportation, but kids do learn how to fix and maintain their bikes. Campers range from first grade through middle school and need to be proficient at riding a two-wheeled bicycle without training wheels. In any given week, 16 to 30 kids are in the program, with a camper/staff ratio of six to one.
The day starts and ends at a church in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The camp works with churches and nonprofits on service projects, which have included volunteering at a food pantry and helping with anti-erosion efforts along the Anacostia River.
Among the other activities are visits to libraries, pools, parks, and businesses—and there’s always a rainy-day plan. Middle-schoolers get an overnight excursion on the C&O Canal.
While the activities are plentiful, Berkow doesn’t pack the schedule—there’s usually one activity in the morning and one in the afternoon. “I intentionally don’t overprogram,” he says. “When parents realize the simplicity, they appreciate it.” He also mixes up the activities each week, though some are popular enough that kids love going back.
The camp runs from 9 to 6, a rarity and a blessing for working parents. If a child doesn’t own a bike, Berkow can loan one.
For more information, click here. Cost for a five-day week: $430.
Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp
Tony Hurst, a librarian at DC’s Beauvoir school, created his camp 13 years ago after he couldn’t find an educational, affordable city camp for his own child. That first summer, he had five campers over two weeks.
Last year, 453 attended across seven weeks.
Among the many outings at Mr. Tony’s Adventure Camp are spray parks. Photograph courtesy of Mr. Tony’s Adventure Staff.
Mr. Tony’s camp takes kids on outings throughout the District. In a given week, the schedule incorporates two days in nature, two water-play days, and a day of culture. One day the kids might go to Capital Candy Jar to learn about making sweets, then head to a spray fountain at the Wharf. Another time, they’ll hike around the National Arboretum and take in a show at Discovery Theater. Destinations might also include Fort Dupont Park, Meridian Hill Park, Anacostia Park, the National Zoo, or the National Museum of the American Indian.
Camp begins and ends at Miner Elementary School on Capitol Hill—the dropoff and pickup spot—before everyone sets off for the daily excursion via subway, bus, or foot.
The camp accepts ages three through eight. Those nine and up can attend as counselors in training. Kids can participate for a single week or the entire summer—Hurst switches up activities to avoid repetition.
“I think parents are a little tired of their kids being cloistered behind a fence doing the same art project,” he says, “especially when there are so many amazing things, often free, happening around the city.”
For more information, click here. Cost for a five-day week: $250.
Urban Adventure Squad
What started as an educational option for kids and working parents when DCPS was closed for holidays or professional days has turned into a year-round outdoor urban program with a summer camp.
Designed for first grade through middle school, Urban Adventure Squad partners with organizations in the District and nearby suburbs to come up with educational programming. Kids spend much of their days outdoors with a low emphasis on electronics, although sometimes technology is incorporated into the learning.
A program with Temple Micah—dubbed “restaurant week”—focused on creating an eco-conscious eatery that minimized food waste and emphasized local ingredients.
It included a guest educator on food waste; cooking projects; and a final pop-up restaurant challenge, as well as visits to the Macomb Recreation Center’s spray park and a hike to Tregaron Conservancy for a community cleanup. UAS also partners with Gallaudet University, Embassy Church, Mosaic Church, and Stokes School for programs where the camp is centralized for the week.
Campers might ride public transportation to visit businesses, nonprofits, parks, and other destinations, and they bring their own brown-bag lunch each day. Programs focus on environmental science, architecture, theater arts, history, design, and more. UAS recently received a grant from the DC Department of Energy and Environment for a curriculum about the Anacostia River.
For more information, click here. Cost for a five-day week: $335 ($268 for siblings) before March 1; $385 (and $310) after.
Smithsonian Summer Camp
One of DC’s best attractions, of course, is the Smithsonian, with its excellent free museums, but kids usually must rely on their parents’ availability to take them.
However, at the Smithsonian Summer Camp, now in its 50th year, children can explore the museums at their own pace, with an educator beside them, for an entire week or more.
The camp is designed for rising kindergartners through ninth-graders; ages 15 and up can be teaching assistants for the younger kids. Each of the weeklong programs has an age-appropriate theme. For example, the youngest campers can observe and record the “ABCs” of the Smithsonian by journeying through its museums and the National Zoo, while older kids might pursue a week of digital photography using the Smithsonian grounds as backdrops. Other programs focus on space travel; Native American history and culture; painting; TV production; and US history.
Campers aren’t restricted to a single museum—they travel about the Mall with their group, each of which is about 16 to 21 kids with two instructors. Camp starts in mid-June and lasts through mid-August, with before- and after-care options.
For more information, click here.
Cost for a five-day week: $460 nonmembers; $395 members.
This article appears in the February 2019 issue of Washingtonian.
More: Anacostia RiverCapitol HillKidsNational Building MuseumNational ZooParentingSmithsonianSummer Camps
Smithsonian Summer Camp Returns to the National Mall in 2022
Smithsonian Associates offers one-of-a-kind learning experiences that spark the imagination—and offer plenty of great fun—during Smithsonian Summer Camp, now offered in person and online. A wide variety of in-person camps for children will be held Tuesday, June 21, through Friday, Aug. 19 at the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center at 1100 Jefferson Dr. S.W. COVID-19 protocols will be followed and continually updated in preparation for the summer. Virtual camps will be streamed via Zoom Tuesday, July 5, through Friday, Aug. 12. Morning and afternoon online sessions are available. Whether campers join in person or online, museum visits, games, hands-on projects and conversations with experts bring the Smithsonian to life.
In-Person Camp
Immersive and engaging opportunities to connect with the Smithsonian’s museums and research will be offered for children entering grades first through ninth in the fall. The rich and exciting world of the Smithsonian is theirs to discover. A diverse, creative and experienced team of instructors design age-appropriate content that animates the Smithsonian, its history and its collections. Nearly 80 camps are offered this year; camps are held Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Before-camp (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.) and after-camp (5 p.m. to 6 p.m.) activities are also available.
For the youngest campers, museum visits, storytelling, art, science and music are all important parts of the fun—and learning. Camps such as “Smithsonian Quest,” “Mammal Mania,” “Powerful Pollinators,” “The Age of Dinosaurs,” “Galactic Adventures,” “Paint Potpourri” and “Slimy Science” are specifically designed to introduce the world of the Smithsonian to children entering first and second grades.
Back by popular demand are camps designed for students who have an interest in art, 3D technologies and digital arts. A new camp “Big Art” allows campers (grades 5–7) to exercise colossal creativity as they create collaborative artworks and large-scale sculptures. Visits to museums around the National Mall as well as local art installations on Washington, D.C., streets and at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival provide inspiration. Campers can also spend a full week learning video game design, digital photography, portraiture, architecture, comics and build 3D environments.
Science adventures are available for all ages. From the deepest oceans to the furthest stars, the vast Amazon rainforest to the smallest backyard insect, campers have a universe of science to discover this summer. The Smithsonian’s museums on the Mall, the National Zoo, Udvar-Hazy Center, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the U.S. Botanic Gardens, provide exciting backdrops for all their explorations.
New this year is the two-week camp, “The Room Where It Happened,” that allows campers (grades 7–9) to relive memorable moments as they visit Smithsonian museums to explore famous events and people in history. The campers make timelines, write and perform skits inspired by historical happenings, engage in fun research and team-building exercises—as well as theatre games and improvisation—to come up with their own lively versions of history’s best moments.
Other camp themes include the solar system, ancient civilizations, geology, ocean life, Smithsonian “Shark Tank,” “President for a Week,” “Monsters vs. Giant Robots” and “Hit a Home Run.”
Online Camp
Live, interactive adventures allow kids entering kindergarten through 11th grade in the fall to explore Smithsonian collections and themes during these specially designed sessions. For the youngest campers (grades K–1), educators lead interactive experiences that explore objects and artworks in the Smithsonian’s collections through play, artmaking and experimentation.
Camps include “Smithsonian Safari,” “Design: Pattern Hunters,” “Space and Beyond,” “Dive Deep,” “Zoology” and “Dino Discovery.”
Campers (grades 2–5) take a deep dive into the Smithsonian’s collections through virtual visits to museums, hands-on projects, games, collaborative challenges and conversations with experts during two hours of live online interaction with a team of experienced instructors. Camps include “Ecosystem Explorations,” “Design: Everyday Extraordinary,” “Take to the Skies,” “Space Station Smithsonian,” “Deep Blue Discovery,” “ExploreOlogy” and “Decade Detectives.”
History comes alive in three-day “Soldiers and Dioramas” camps (grades 6–11) where campers find a new dimension—a miniature one—to learning about some of the most important battles in history. Six camps are offered, each covering a specific battle, and campers make their own terrain boards and lead troops of 1/72-scale soldiers in war games that offer them vivid insights into the military strategies and conflicts that have shaped the world.
Prices for in-person weeklong summer camps are $480 for non-members and $415 for Smithsonian Associates members. There will be no camp Monday, June 20, or Monday, July 4. Prices for in-person summer camp the weeks of June 21–24 and July 5–8 are $384 for non-members and $335 for Smithsonian Associates members. Two-week intensive in-person camps range from $864 to $960 for non-members and $745 to $830 for Smithsonian Associates members. Virtual camp prices range from $95 to $195 for non-members and $80 to $165 for Smithsonian Associates members. Online registration for the general public begins Thursday, Feb. 17, at 10 a.m. ET. Donors to Smithsonian Associates at the Contributor level ($300 or higher) are eligible for priority registration Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 10 a.m. ET, and Smithsonian Associates members of all levels may register Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 1 p.m. ET. All participants are encouraged to pre-register online. For more information, the public may visit http://smithsonianassociates.
org/camp or call (202) 633-3030.
For over 55 years, Smithsonian Associates—the world’s largest museum-based education program—has produced vibrant educational and cultural programming that brings the Smithsonian to life. Inspired by the Smithsonian’s research, collections and exhibitions nearly 1,000 public programs spark creativity and excite learning in people of all ages each year.
# # #
SI-10-2022
SUMMER OF VICTORIES – children’s city club
July 07, 2019
Natalya Kiryakina
Thank you very much to all counselors, organizers, management of the Museum of Victory, for your work, for the Summer of Victories, for helping our children become better and happier!!! Such rich and interesting leisure activities, meetings and excursions with the guys.
The counselors tell a lot of exciting facts about the history of our country, about the Great Patriotic War – this finds a great response in the souls of children, brings up patriotism and pride for the Motherland. Read more>>
Thank you very much to all the counselors, organizers, management of the Museum of Victory, for your work, for the Summer of Victories, for helping our children become better and happier!!! Such rich and interesting leisure activities, meetings and excursions with the guys. The counselors tell a lot of exciting facts about the history of our country, about the Great Patriotic War – this finds a great response in the souls of children, brings up patriotism and pride for the Motherland. Thank you very much, good luck to you and your families!!!!!Hide>>
June 24, 2019
Veronika Berezkina
I want to share my impressions of the Summer of Victory camp, since there is very little information about it anywhere, and this is a big omission in my opinion.
When the question arose this year which city camp to send the child to, I considered different options, I already have 3 years of experience. But this year we were looking for a fairly budget option and decided to try a change in this camp. The main critic is of course the daughter: she really liked it… Read more>>
I want to share my impressions of the Summer of Victory camp, as there is very little information about it anywhere, and this is a big omission in my opinion. When the question arose this year which city camp to send the child to, I considered different options, I already have 3 years of experience. But this year we were looking for a fairly budget option and decided to try a change in this camp. The main critic is of course the daughter: she really liked it, it was fun, not boring, varied. Feeding her is a problem, but she didn’t go hungry. Never called! And for us, this is the main indicator that the child does not call, does not ask to pick him up, does not complain that he is bored.
In the evening, the problem is to pick up – give another 5 minutes))). From the metro to the camp they take minibuses, the children are outdoors all day. They give out T-shirts and baseball caps with the symbols of the camp, go to the museum, cinema. Counselors are young and active! As a result: we are going to another shift! And next year, I know exactly which camp we will be in.Hide>>
07 June 2019
Elena b.
An excellent camp, it differs from other similar offers by the convenient time of the child’s stay: from 08-15 to 19 hours, price. At the same time, the quality of services is at its best: 3 meals a day, and all kinds of entertainment, quests, and events. The staff is very attentive, sincere, responsible. Plus, security is also at the level – the children are in a fenced area, the daughter says that they are not even allowed to go to the toilet alone. Daughter 8… Read more>>
An excellent camp, differs from other similar offers by the convenient time of the child’s stay: from 08-15 to 19 hours, price.
At the same time, the quality of services is at its best: 3 meals a day, and all kinds of entertainment, quests, and events. The staff is very attentive, sincere, responsible. Plus, security is also at the level – the children are in a fenced area, the daughter says that they are not even allowed to go to the toilet alone. Daughter 8 years old, very happy, she goes for a week and will still stay for 3 shiftsCollapse>>
On Solovki: temporary exhibitions | Solovetsky Museum-Reserve
- Exhibitions
- On Solovki: temporary exhibitions
#5e6d91
The conference hall of the Educational Center (“Petersburg Hotel”) hosts temporary exhibitions dedicated to museum events (conferences and seminars, festivals, fairs), as well as reporting exhibitions based on the results of the work of groups of students and schoolchildren undergoing museum and educational practices in the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve.
Orthodox brotherhoods in the Russian North
July 2018
The exhibition “Orthodox brotherhoods in the Russian North”, timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the appeal of Patriarch Tikhon to the believers of Russia on the formation of spiritual unions, was held on Solovki in July 2018 in within the framework of the scientific-practical conference “The history of the country in the fate of the prisoners of the Solovetsky camps.” The exhibition was organized in the Refectory of the Solovetsky Monastery, an architectural monument of the 16th century.
The organizers of the exhibition project were: Cultural and Educational Fund “Sretenie” (Arkhangelsk), St. Michael-Arkhangelsk Small Orthodox Brotherhood, Solovetsky State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve, Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Stauropegial Monastery.
The authors of the project spoke about the research work that preceded the creation of the exhibition: “As a result of the work done, it was possible to discover information about 20 Orthodox brotherhoods that existed in the Arkhangelsk diocese before the revolution 1917 years old.
The relevance of the project is also connected with the actualization of the memory of the most worthy people of the Russian North, many of whom were members of the brotherhoods: the holy righteous John of Kronstadt, Archpriest Mikhail Popov, Bishop Ioanniky (Kazan), Arkhangelsk governors Alexander Platonovich Engelhardt and Ivan Vasilyevich Sosnovsky, Justin Mikhailovich Sibirtsev, Fr. Mikhail Sibirtsev, Fr. Pavel Ilyinsky (in August 1917 he was elected a member of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1917-1918 from the Arkhangelsk diocese), Fr. Alexander Nechaev (Chairman of the Orthodox Brotherhood in the name of St. Martin the Confessor)”.
Vik. Crosses as windows
July 2018
The exhibition “Crosses as windows” by St. Petersburg artist Vik (Vyacheslav Yuryevich Zabelin, 1953 – 2016), one of the prominent representatives of the Soviet underground, was held in the conference hall of the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve from July 4 to 15, 201 8 years old
The name of the exhibition was not chosen by chance.
“Crosses can be understood as stretchers on which the master creates, his soul rejoices, his heart trembles in anticipation of what will come out as a result of this good work. And through suffering, purification and resurrection, works are created, like windows to a new world. The theme of purification through suffering, the theme of catharsis can be traced in many of Wieck’s works. The artist himself said: “The tombstone is our vale, and only after it will it be credited to us according to our merits.”
In the exposition organized in the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve, Vik was presented in various genres of fine art. First of all, this is painting: illustrations for Marquez’s novel “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, “Jerusalem Stairs”, a series of “Crosses as Windows”. Also graphic sketches, painted Easter eggs and one icon.
Vik was a sincerely religious artist. He spoke in the language of symbols and perceived the picture as a window to the Universe, where the spiritual and natural principles are reunited.
In his works, Vic spoke about faith in God in the modern language of painting, he is as frank as possible, this is an attempt at confession, an expression of love. “I was always striving for air,” the artist wrote about his work. “Spatial geometry cannot in any way reflect the world in which I live. Therefore, I create from nothing – the ocean. Everything glows and shimmers. Here are the crosses. How do they react to our essence? Answer: very much! In them is the charge of God, in them is the answer – where are we from. And at the dawn of mankind, they were and still are manifested in a hidden and open form. In the sky, I saw them in blue, twice, but this is probably enough for the rest of my life.
The Royal Family
July-August 2017
The photo exhibition “The Royal Family” was organized by the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve on the porch of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Solovetsky Monastery and exhibited in June-August 2017.
The exhibition was created in 2012 in Tsarskoye Selo with the blessing of Archpriest Fr.
Gennady (Zverev). It was conceived and implemented with a fundamental goal – to show the spiritual beauty, the aristocracy of the spirit of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers with the help of the presented materials.
The main purpose of the exhibition is the patriotic and spiritual and moral education of modern man, when the family of the Royal Martyrs gives the brightest example of service to the Fatherland and pious family life, when the truly great spiritual experience of the Royal Family is offered as one of the fertile sources of family well-being and spiritualized happiness, which are based on the Orthodox faith, love, purity of relations, patriarchal way of life, large families and patriotism. All this is especially relevant in our time.
The exhibition was created by: photo artist Gennady Evgenyevich Malofeev (Moscow) – providing photographic materials, printing photos and paintings; tour guide Tamara Nikolaevna Runova (St. Petersburg) – providing photographic materials, photo processing; Alexander Sergeevich Popov (Voskresensk) – frame work.
Belomorkanal: “negatives” and “positives”
July 2017
The photo exhibition “Belomorkanal: “negatives” and “positives”” was demonstrated by the Solovetsky Museum-Reserve in July 2017 in the conference hall of the “Petersburg Hotel”.
The exhibition dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the completion of the main stage of the construction of the White Sea-Baltic Canal was created by the National Museum of the Republic of Karelia in 2013. In the bright but long-suffering history of the USSR, the experience of Belomorstroy in 1930-1933. paved the way for the Gulag Archipelago. The construction of the White Sea-Baltic Canal was carried out by imprisoned canal soldiers under the leadership of the OGPU.
The photo exhibition “Belomorkanal: “negatives” and “positives”” (curated by M.Yu. Dankov) was created on the basis of the stock collection of the National Museum of the Republic of Karelia obtained in 1940s The exposition is built according to the thematic and chronological principle and includes four thematic complexes: “Stalin’s Plan”, “Chekists”, “Canal Army Men” and “The Art of the Gulag”.
Visitors could see 33 unique photos. Among them are “Instructions of the OGPU employees before sending a phalanx of drillers of the 5th combat station to the next breakthrough. 1933″, “Heads of the headquarters of the 8th department in the village. Shizhnya. 1931”, “Rally of prisoners of the 1st camp site. 1932”, “The symbolic grave of the Filons at the 3rd gateway. 1932”. Attention was drawn to photographic documents that reflected the manual labor of prisoners, including women prisoners, construction projects – dams, slopes and canal locks, but most importantly – the faces of the “canal army men” who worked on the Stalinist “construction of the century”.
The exhibition was successfully complemented by a multimedia presentation of the museum collection, which was specially prepared by A.N. Talbonen. 25 – June 30, 2017.
The author of the exhibition, director of the Medvezhyegorsk Museum Sergei Koltyrin, describes it as follows: “The Prisoner’s Suitcase exhibition is a new understanding of the theme of the builders of the White Sea Canal.
People who voluntarily-compulsorily came to the construction site of the first five-year plans of the 30s of the last century collected their luggage. In our case, this is a home-made suitcase made of plywood and slats, which was closed with a padlock or twisted wire.
What did you take with you on a long journey? Everything you need and need. Here are a straight razor and a hair clipper, a shaving brush and a waffle towel, men’s underpants, sewn back in 1920s. This item was donated to the museum by the granddaughter of Vasily Ivanovich Fedorov, a former builder of the LBC, who was shot in the Sandarmokh tract. They took an aluminum mug and a duralumin bowl and spoon with them. In our suitcase there are also women’s items – this is a ladies’ handbag. The owner of the handbag, Praskovya Ivanovna Klimova, did not part with her in the 30s and 40s. She went through the camps and the war. Wheel glasses are a necessary item for reading the poems of your favorite poet.
The man, having packed his suitcase and said goodbye to his family, was leaving for the construction site.
