In 1949, on the eve of the 150th anniversary of Alexander Pushkin's birth, the memorial Lyceum Museum was opened in Tsarskoe Selo, in the building of the former Imperial Tsarskoe Selo Lyceum. In the first quarter of the nineteenth century the Lyceum was one of the best educational establishments in Russia for noble boys. Pushkin studied there between 1811 and 1817. It was within the Lyceum walls that his poetical talent was revealed. There the future poet found devoted friends who remained faithful to the sacred Lyceum fraternity till the end of their days. The first course of the school which later became known as Pushkin's course, turned out to be the most successful. Names of many pupils - Pushkin's classmates, such as diplomat Alexander Gorchakov, poet Anton Delvig, admiral and historian of Russian fleet Fyodor Matiushkin and others came down to Russian history. The Museum recreates the atmosphere in which the pupils of the first course lived and studied. Some of the school interiors: Grand Hall, the Newspaper Room, the Library (featuring original books from the Lyceum collection), classrooms and dormitories were restored on the basis of archival documents. On display also is the permanent exhibition "We Live with the Memories of the Lyceum" presenting more than a century long history of this remarkable school which had a significant impact on the history of Russia.________________________________________

    _____The Lyceum Museum has a Conference Hall where Pushkin literary and musical evenings are held (the Lyceum Grand Hall is also used for this purpose), and where teachers of St. Petersburg schools can attend a series of lectures, entitled "Let's Give Our Tutors Their Due for the Good". The Museum continues a nice tradition of the Lyceum graduates - to celebrate the day of the school foundation on the 19th of October, which is marked today within the framework of the annual festival "Tsarskoe Selo Autumn". The party is usually attended by famous artists and cultural figures, descendants of Pushkin and other graduates of the first course coming from different countries. In the days of the festival the Tsarskoe Selo artistic Prize is awarded to the most celebrated artists of Russia