Chak-Chak Museum

The Chak-Chak Museum is a private museum in Kazan, in the Old Tatar Quarter (Staro-Tatarskaya Sloboda), at 18A Parizhskoy Kommuny Street. It tells the story of the best-known Tatar sweet and of the home life of a well-off Tatar family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visits take the form of a guided tea party, and the museum has become one of the best-known sights of the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.

History

The museum was opened in September 2014 by patrons Dmitry Polosin and Raushaniya Suleymanova with their own money. According to the museum, it receives about 50,000 visitors a year and has won several tourism awards.

It occupies a 19th-century wooden mansion that belonged to the merchant Vafa Bigaev. The Old Tatar Quarter is a historic part of Kazan, and its streets suit the exhibition well.

What to see at the Chak-Chak Museum

The founders recreated the home of a prosperous Kazan Tatar using old photographs of interiors and genuine household objects. Almost everything may be touched: visitors try on headdresses, earrings and braid ornaments and take photos in them.

The tour lasts about an hour. Guests are welcomed by the lady of the house in national dress, who talks about the customs of a Tatar family. A tasting follows: herbal tea or black tea with thyme from a samovar, homemade chak-chak, baursak, Tatar fruit pastila and kosh-tele.

The theme of the programme changes with the seasons:

• autumn: trade and the merchant class;
• winter: mythology;
• spring: national costume and jewellery;
• summer: wedding traditions.

From 15 September to 15 March the museum runs chak-chak cooking classes for participants aged 14 and over. The ground floor has a historic tea room and a souvenir shop selling sweets.

Legends and traditions

Chak-chak was traditionally made for weddings: the sweet treat was believed to promise the newlyweds a sweet and prosperous life. This and other customs are covered in the museum's summer programme.

Getting there and practical notes

The museum is about a 15-minute walk from Ploshchad Gabdully Tukaya metro station. There is a paid city car park nearby, paid through the Kazan Parking app.

• According to directories, the museum is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00.
• Visits are by advance booking only: 1–2 days ahead on weekdays, 5–7 days ahead at weekends and on holidays.
• Shoes come off on the upper floor, so bring a pair of socks.