“Wheel Museum” Exhibition

The “Wheel Museum” project was presented on 31 March 2015 at the village House of Culture in Dubrovo, Soletsky District, with support from the regional innovation competitions “Novgorodika” and “Novgorod Land.” The idea came from Lyudmila Fyodorovna Kostromina, head of the district administration’s culture department; the project leader was Sergey Vladimirovich Skirchenko. The theme reflects local history. In the 16th–18th centuries a wheel-makers’ settlement operated in what is now Soletsky District. Rolling a wheel fixed by an axle to a long pole was once a popular children’s game. In the 18th century Soltsy had woodworking guilds, wheel and gun-carriage workshops, and the settlement served as a branch of the St. Petersburg Arsenal. Supporting records survive in the St. Petersburg Military-Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps. During 2014 museum objects and historical materials were collected and exhibition drawings, diagrams and illustrations prepared. Local craftsmen then built a model of an 18th-century cannon, made three sets of 17th–18th-century costumes, produced a wall painting, 10 clay cannon models and 20 soldier figures. By the end of 2014 a log “inn,” wicker fence and mannequins in 18th-century costumes had been installed. An interactive tour called “Wheel of History” was developed for visitors of different ages. The exhibition recreates an 18th-century inn and displays different types of wooden wheels, wheel-making tools and information materials; models and examples of carts; artillery models of the 17th–18th centuries; and horse harness including collars, bridles and horseshoes. A wooden construction model of an 18th-century cannon can be taken apart and reassembled during the activity program. The full-size replica was made with help from two Soltsy craftsmen, Vybit school teacher Viktor Kikot and Ellips factory turner Sergey Yulikov. Residents of Nevskoye, Dubrovo, Gorki, Tolchino, Raitsy and Vybit donated more than 25 items, including wooden wheels, collars, whips, horseshoes and other harness pieces.