The municipal cultural institution Demyansky District History and Culture Centre is located in the former residential house that belonged to merchant Grigory Smetanin, an architectural monument of the late 19th century.
The institution was established on 26 September 2002, with Demyansky Municipal District as its founder. It is run by the Department of Culture and Youth Policy.
Demyansky District History and Culture Centre has six themed halls.
- The Demyansk War History Hall features information about divisions, hero pilots and partisans who defended Demyansk during the Great Patriotic War, as well as exhibits from the war era. The hall has multimedia equipment to show themed presentations and films.
- The Popovo Swamp Hall tells the story of the camp for Soviet prisoners set up by the Nazi invaders in the area during the Great Patriotic War, where several thousand people were executed.
- The Flora and Fauna Hall showcased the diversity of Demyansky District’s plants and wildlife. The territory, which is located in a mixed woodland zone, is the habitat of 140 bird species and over 60 mammal species.
- The Local History and Lore Hall provides an insight into the history of Demyansk and displays an exhibit on manual flax processing, a collection of birch bark products, as well as information about Russia’s first fish hatchery.
- The Peasants’ Daily Life Hall is a unique storeroom showcasing items that represent peasant life of the 18th-19th centuries. The exhibit features a collection of samovars, irons, pottery and other interesting items.
- The Exhibition Hall holds regular exhibitions of paintings, arts, crafts, and photographs. The hall also hosts events for a wide range of public events.
The Demyansky District History and Culture Centre organises group and individual themed tours. The exhibition hall organises new displays at least once a month and features exhibitions of local painters and arts and crafts masters, as well as touring exhibitions.
The museum holds regular meetings for children to celebrate traditional festivals. The museum also has set up the Vekhi (Milestones) literary association for local poets and authors.
