Voronezh museum of a thousand teddy bears — video

In the historical center of Voronezh, there is an amazing place — the Helen and Teddy Museum. Its founder, Elena Ivanovna Kikteva, greets guests with a bear in a Russian costume in her hands, and this is just the first of almost a thousand plush inhabitants. These bears are not just toys, but real cultural ambassadors, embodying a unique pedagogical concept.

The museum was born at the Interlingua foreign language school and became a living embodiment of its motto — «dialogue of cultures.» Walking through the halls, you will take a trip around the world: here, bears from England, Scotland, and Germany stand side by side.

The museum«s special pride is its main resident and mascot, the bear Mishozh (Misha from Voronezh). He is not just an exhibit, but an avid traveler. Mishozh accompanies school students to international conferences and competitions, and has traveled to many Russian cities with projects. He is a tangible symbol of friendship and cultural exchange, whose photographs fill the museum»s chronicle.

The exhibition impresses with its diversity: from rare antique dolls to legendary Steiff bears with a century of history. But Helen and Teddy is not a temple of silence and display cases. It is an interactive space where you can and should touch the exhibits. Children take the bears in their hands, hug them, and teachers build fascinating stories about history, geography, and traditions around this. Volunteers from first-graders to students themselves conduct tours, enlivening the museum with their energy.

To fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of this unusual museum, see its main characters, and hear the story first-hand, watch our video.