The Soviet House of Rest: Sochi and the World of the Soviet Sanatorium

Culled from the Wende Museum collection and curated by William Nickell, a lecturer in Russian at UC Santa Cruz, this exhibition explores the culture of Soviet public health and collective leisure, focusing on the use of spas and workers’ clubs to promote political values. The Soviet House of Rest includes video interviews, postcards, and other memorabilia related to the experience of a vacation on the Black Sea, focusing on the resorts of the Sochi area. In addition to authentic Socialist Realist artwork, this exhibition also offers the opportunity to relax by playing chess or reading newspapers and magazines of the era.