Vologda

Libraries

The Vologda Regional Academic Library was established on February 9, 1919. It is the largest by shelf space and one of the most important libraries in the Vologda Oblast. Its collections include over 1,3 million books, manuscripts and other print materials in Russian and foreign languages. It also holds audio materials, such as discs, tapes, talking books, and other recorded formats; maps; pieces of sheet music; visual materials (moving images, photographs, posters, prints and drawings), videotapes, newspapers, pamphlets, sound recordings and other materials.

Theatres

There are 3 state professional theatres in Vologda:

• Drama Theatre (1, Sovetsky Avenue);
• Theatre for Children and Youth (2, Oktyabrskaya Street);
• Puppet Theatre (21, Lenina Street).

No account of Vologda theartical life would be complete without mentioning the drama festival "Voices of History". Since 1991 Vologda has been home to the Russian theatrical festival "Voices of History". It is arranged jointly with the RF Ministry of Culture, the RF Union of theatrical workers, the government of the Vologda Oblast and the administration of the city. The festival merits great attention. The success of it has been conditioned by the professionalism of the participants and serious experience, and the ability to combine these qualities with Russian national characteristics. The performances are shown in the open air, in the historical setting of the Vologda Kremlin, which is a point of interest itself. Holding such a festival near the Kremlin is hardly a matter of chance. "The Voices of History" attracted the most skilful actors and repertory theatres from Moscow, St.Petersburg, Novgorod, Pskov, Vladimir, Arkhangelsk and other Russian cities. The judges of the festival are renowned theatrical critics. The focus of the festival is on the history of Russia and the world history.

Besides, the Vologodians have the center of sport and culture "Spektr", the cultural center of the Vologda Bearing Factory, ballet school, chorus, chamber orchestra, children's art groups, the organizations of Russian Artists' Union and Russian Writers' Union.

Museums

• Vologda State Museum-Preserve of History, Architecture and Decorative Arts (15, Orlov Street), which includes:
  
  - Museum of Architecture and Ethnography (the village of Semenkovo)
  - Exhibition Complex (16, Sovetsky Avenue)
  - Memorial Museum of Peter I (47, Sovetsky Avenue)
  - House of A.Mozhaysky (the village of Mozhayskoe)
  - Museum of K.Batyushkov (2, Batyushkov Street)
  
  
• Vologa Picture Gallery (2, Kremlyovskaya Square)
• Museum of History of Youth Organization in Vologda (20, Sovetsky Avenue)