SAMOLVA: Seeing a whole class of children pile into his museum about a Russian prince’s 13th-century victory over Western crusaders, historian Vladimir Potresov was delighted.
His “Battle on the Ice” exposition is only made up of a few rooms, but has seen a surge in visitors since its inclusion on a list of “patriotic” tourist routes published by local authorities.
It is one aspect of how Russia has sought to promote pride in its history and military conquests across public life since launching its Ukraine offensive in 2022.
Authorities have launched more than 140 “patriotic” tourist routes since 2023, many aimed at highlighting historic victories by the Russian empire and Soviet Union.
“Our museum is small, but recently we’ve been welcoming around 5,500 visitors a year,” said 80-year-old Potresov, who moved from Moscow to the village of Samolva more than a decade ago to found the museum.
