Branch of the Museum-Estate Yasnaya Polyana with the short name L.N.T. ends the odd side of Metallistov street and can be found at house 25. This building was first mentioned in documents of 1685-1868 and belonged to the family of Kuchins until the mid-19th century. In 1799, the place had a stone two-story house owned by merchant Efimiy Kuchin, who traded in fur goods. During the great fire in Tula in 1834, the building was almost completely burned down and was then rebuilt. After the renovation, the house got significantly bigger, and its facade was decorated anew.
The Kuchin house has an interesting and varied history: after Yefimiy Kuchin had died, his relatives lived there. Then, in 1907, the Parisian electric theater Rusalka started performing in the building, and a photo gallery was opened there 3 years later. In the early 20th century, different shops rented the ground floor rooms. However, most rooms were empty, as there were military barracks on the second floor. In the early 1920s, the building was transferred to the local government and adapted for housing. Under Soviet rule, until 1986, the ground floor of the Kuchin house had been occupied by a pharmacy, and the second - by a bread store and apartments.
During the Perestroika, Tula Arms Plant was the building's owner. At the same time, the Red Cross Society operated there; besides, the house had Cafe Gimalayi in the 1990s. The last residents of the Kuchin house were a couple of gun shops selling hunting weapons and equipment.
In March 2014, a fire broke out in an already empty building, which resulted in several rooms being burnt out. In the winter of 2015, the northwest wall of the house collapsed, and the building was then dismantled. The following year, the destroyed parts of the house and its facades were restored.
After a large-scale restoration, the Kuchin house became a branch of Leo Tolstoy's Yasnaya Polyana. Today, the new culture and exhibition complex L.N.T. offers many opportunities for interesting and comfortable leisure. It houses a visitor center and a permanent interactive exhibition "My address is always Tula", which shows how Tula lived in the time of Leo Tolstoy, what faded into oblivion since that time, what changed, and what remained unchanged. Visitors can learn about completely different aspects of everyday life in Tula: how the post office and telephone communications developed in the city, how the Tula people spent their free time, what vehicles they used to visit friends, how they studied and what sports they played, how the Tula nobles and clergy lived, and much more. The exhibition provides an opportunity to send a postcard anywhere in the world, see a unique exhibit that is still being kept in one of the Tula hospitals, and even talk on the phone with Leo Tolstoy himself.
On the second floor, in the temporary exhibition hall, you can visit the exhibition "Comme il faut / Not comme il faut" throughout 2021. It will tell you about Leo Tolstoy and his attitude to good manners, clothing style, and what makes a decent person. The exhibition features photographs by the author, as well as his personal belongings from his house at Yasnaya Polyana that usually stay hidden from sightseers. Visitors can see a documentary filmed in the last years of Leo Tolstoy's life.
Aside with the exhibition room, the Kuchin house has the Pierre souvenir shop and bookstore with a large selection of Tolstoy studies, as well as classical and children's literature. In July, the Mini-Hotel Pierre will open its doors for guests of Tula. The hotel offers 9 cozy rooms styled after the 19th century. The highlight of the hotel is its theme, which is closely related to two of Tolstoy's most famous novels, War and Peace and Anna Karenina.
In fall, Tula residents and guests will be able to dine at the only literary cafe in Tula, the Stiva. The café's menu reflects the Tolstoy family values and traditions, including recipes from the famous cookbook by Sofia Tolstaya, as well as the author's works. Here, visitors will be offered books along with coffee, invited to a family dinner or a walk in the city center on the weekend, a family-friendly workshop, or a literary and music evening on the summer terrace.
