In this lesson, students will decipher the hidden meanings and symbolism of 18th-century Baroque works, abundantly presented in the permanent exhibition. We'll clarify the difference between a sign, a symbol, and an artistic image, and what gives an artwork its artistic value. During the session, we'll closely examine the portraits of the Romanov royal family and learn how Empress Catherine the Great managed to create the image of an 18th-century influencer. In the creative part of the lesson, we'll continue to study the artistic language of symbols and stamp a memorable badge, embedding our own symbol into it.

The program covers two key periods in Narva's history – the second half of the 17th and the 20th centuries – pivotal moments that radically influenced the city's architectural appearance. The program takes place in two halls: on the model of Old Narva and in the hall of the permanent exhibition, where the theme of the emergence of the new city of the Soviet period is revealed. We'll discuss the turns in Narva's development history, architectural features of both periods, and the economic, cultural, historical premises that determined the city's development in both epochs. Part of the assignment will be conducted as group research work with worksheets. At the end of the class, children will participate in a fun quiz and create their own building model.

This program will introduce students to iconography – a special phenomenon in the local cultural space – in simple language. Using 17th-19th-century Orthodox icons as examples, children will learn who is depicted on icons and why, why some icons seem completely different while others are so similar, and why there is often so much gold on them. We'll also discover why some icons can resemble an entire comic book. Inspired by icons with the lives of saints, participants will try to compose their own visual story. The second part of the session will take place in the art studio. Children will learn the traditional recipe for egg tempera paint, known to medieval icon painters. After an exciting paint mixing session, each will draw their own story.