After a good night’s sleep, we will tour the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) National Fine Arts museum, where we will see fine & folk arts & crafts from the 18th-21st centuries. While the museum contains pieces from western & eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and central and east Asia, we will focus on the collection of local art, which contains painting, drawing, sculpture, scrimshaw, wood and metal work, ornamental sewing, and beaded needlework on fur & textile. This fascinating collection allows for a deeper understanding of Sakha tradition, cosmology, and seasonal ritual.

After lunch in the city, we will continue on to visit workshops of contemporary Sakha textile artists and craftspeople, learning how every aspect of fabrication is imbued with meaning - from the number of horse hairs plaited together, to the type of stitch, and the color of beads used. We will learn the meanings of some of the decorative patterns that you see throughout Sakha Republic, and the ways they are used a protective amulets for connection with the earth, sky, and ancestors.

Accommodations: guesthouse (shared dormitory)

Meals Included: breakfast, dinner.

Included Activities: guided museum visit, visit to artist workshops/homes.