# Snow Maiden's Terem, Kostroma

> The Snow Maiden's Terem is a carved log house built in 2008 by the Volga bridge in Kostroma: a theatrical tour with fairy-tale house spirits and a cat, plus an ice room that stays below freezing all year. Allow **about an hour**. The full visit costs **890 roubles** (children 790). Open **daily 10:00–18:00**; booking is required.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/snow-maiden-terem

- City: [Kostroma](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma), Russia
- YesGo score: 36/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 1 h
- Entry: from 490 RUB, full visit 890 RUB
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Fairy-tale package (tour + ice room): 890 roubles; children up to 16 — 790
- Interactive tour only: 690 roubles; children — 590
- Ice room only (with a treat): 490 roubles; children — 390
- 1 Dec 2026 – 31 Jan 2027: Package 1,100 / 990; tour 890 / 790; ice room 690 / 590 roubles
- Under 3s: Free with a paying adult
- Hours: Daily 10:00–18:00, ticket desk from 9:30, last tour usually 17:00
- Booking: Required — online form; groups over 5 by email
- Address: Lagernaya St 38, bldg 2, Kostroma — in the courtyard of the Snegurochka hotel
- Phone: +7 (4942) 42-66-42
- Language: The show is in Russian
- Programme length: Not published; allow about an hour for the package
- From Susanin Square: ≈ 25–30 min walk
- Coordinates: 57.75500, 40.95120
- Facts checked: 30.10.2026

## Key facts

- **2008** — the year the log terem was built for the Snow Maiden (source: Official website of the Snow Maiden's Terem; Tonkosti travel guide)
- **Below 0 °C** — inside the ice room all year round, among ice sculptures by Kostroma carvers (source: Official website, Programmes page; Tonkosti travel guide)
- **1873** — Alexander Ostrovsky wrote his “spring fairy tale” The Snow Maiden at Shchelykovo in Kostroma province (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, “The Snow Maiden (play)”; official website of the Terem)
- **3+** — age rating of the main programmes; under 3s go free (source: Official website, Programmes and Prices pages)
- **Rimsky-Korsakov** — turned Ostrovsky's play into an opera, which made the Snow Maiden famous (source: English and Russian Wikipedia, “The Snow Maiden (opera)”)
- **House spirits and a cat** — the Domovoy, his wife and Bayun the cat host the tour with the Snow Maiden (source: Official website of the Terem)
- **Zipun coats** — you are wrapped in traditional peasant coats before entering the ice room (source: Official website, Programmes page; Tonkosti travel guide)
- **Puppet show** — part of the interactive tour, staged in the terem's main room (source: Official website, Programmes page; Tonkosti travel guide)
- **Open daily** — no weekly day off, all year round (source: Official website of the Terem; Tonkosti travel guide)
- **No pets** — animals are not allowed inside (source: Official website of the Terem)

> **Book first — walk-ins may be turned away** Tours run in mixed groups, and the official website says plainly that entry **is not guaranteed without a booking**. Use the booking form on the Terem's website. For **December and January** you have to pay at least a month ahead, and unpaid bookings are cancelled two weeks before the date. Groups of more than five book by email only.

## What is the Snow Maiden's Terem?

It is a fairy-tale log house where Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden — Grandfather Frost's granddaughter in Russian New Year lore — supposedly lives. It is not a museum with display cases but a short theatrical show for families: costumed house spirits, a puppet play and a walk-in room made of ice. It works best for children aged three to ten.

The tall log terem — an old Russian word for an upper-class wooden house — was built in **2008**. Outside are white fretwork window frames, a balcony and a courtyard; inside are a bright main room for the puppet show and the ice room. The Snegurochka hotel shares the same courtyard.

Why Kostroma? In **1873**, at his Shchelykovo estate in Kostroma province, the playwright Alexander Ostrovsky wrote The Snow Maiden, a “spring fairy tale” that Rimsky-Korsakov soon turned into an opera. The character went on to become a fixture of Russian New Year, and Kostroma has called itself her home town ever since.

## How much are tickets?

On the price list valid from 1 February 2026, the **fairy-tale package** — the interactive tour plus the ice room — costs **890 roubles** for adults and **790** for children up to 16. The interactive tour alone is 690 / 590, and the ice room alone 490 / 390. Under-3s go free with a paying adult.

**From 1 December 2026 to 31 January 2027** New Year prices apply: 1,100 / 990 for the package, 890 / 790 for the tour and 690 / 590 for the ice room. A private visit for up to ten people without other guests is also available, at 15,000 roubles for the package outside the holiday season.

**Paying as a foreigner:** Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad have not worked in Russia since March 2022. Bring roubles in cash for the ticket desk in the souvenir shop — that is also where you collect a booked ticket.

## Opening hours

The Terem is open **every day from 10:00 to 18:00**, with no day off; the ticket desk opens at 9:30 and the last tour usually starts at 17:00. On public holidays the schedule is often extended, and the management can change times, so check the website before a New Year visit.

To collect a booking, give your booking number and surname at the ticket desk in the souvenir shop. Tickets are checked at the door, but the tour itself begins outside, so arrive about 15 minutes early and dress for the weather.

The busiest weeks run from mid-December to mid-January, plus weekends all year. If you are travelling then, book as soon as your dates are fixed.

## What you see inside

- **The interactive tour “Visiting the Snow Maiden” (3+).** The house spirits — the Domovoy and his wife — and Bayun the storytelling cat tell old Berendey legends, then the Snow Maiden greets you in her room.
- **A puppet show** about the Snow Maiden, staged in the main room of the terem.
- **The ice room (3+).** You are dressed in zipun coats, wrapped in scarves and sashes and led among ice sculptures made by Kostroma carvers. Children get a “snow cocktail”; adults get a drink served in an ice glass.
- **Photos among the ice** — the best pictures of the visit. Phone batteries drain fast in the cold, so keep yours warm until you need it.
- **The carved facade and courtyard** — white fretwork, a balcony and a big inscribed boulder by the door. Free to see from outside, any time.
- **The souvenir shop**, which doubles as the ticket desk.

## How to get to the Snow Maiden's Terem

1. Landmark: the road bridge over the Volga. The Terem is at Lagernaya Street 38/2, in the Snegurochka hotel's courtyard, a few minutes from the [Church of the Resurrection on the Debre](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/resurrection-church-on-debre) and a little outside the historic core.
2. On foot from [Susanin Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/susanin-square): about 25–30 minutes (≈ 2 km) — down Sovetskaya Street towards the Volga, then east along Nizhnyaya Debrya Street towards the bridge.
3. By bus or minibus: get off at **Khram Voskreseniya** (Church of the Resurrection) or **Ulitsa Nizhnyaya Debrya**, then walk 3–5 minutes. Yandex Maps shows live routes for Kostroma; Google transit data in Russia is patchy.
4. From Kostroma railway station (Lastochka trains from Moscow's Yaroslavsky station): about 20 minutes on foot or a few minutes by taxi.
5. By car from Moscow: about 336 km, roughly five hours. The Terem is right by the Volga bridge exit.

## Is the Snow Maiden's Terem worth it?

**Yes, if** you have children aged three to ten. For them it is the highlight of Kostroma: fairy-tale characters, a puppet show, a room of ice in midsummer and a peasant coat round their shoulders. Language matters less than you would think — kids follow the costumes and the cold.

**Maybe not, if** you are adults travelling without children. The show is in Russian and pitched at small kids, and the price per hour is on a par with a big museum. The carved facade is free to see from the street, and the ice-room-only ticket is the most unusual part if you are curious.

**Our YesGo view:** an honest family attraction rather than a historic site. The building is from 2008, so do not expect real antiquity — for that, head to the [Ipatiev Monastery](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/ipatiev-monastery) and the [Kostromskaya Sloboda](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostromskaya-sloboda) open-air museum. With a small child, though, it is one of the best hours in town.

## Before you go

Tick off what is ready — your ticks are saved in this browser.

- [ ] Booked through the website — walk-ins may be refused
- [ ] December or January? Paid for the booking in advance
- [ ] Cash in roubles if I don't have a Russian bank card
- [ ] A warm layer under the zipun — the ice room is always below freezing
- [ ] Arriving 15 minutes early to collect tickets in the souvenir shop
- [ ] No pets with me

## With kids: Terem, Sloboda or the moose farm

|  | Snow Maiden's Terem | Kostromskaya Sloboda | Sumarokovo Moose Farm |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | 2008 fairy-tale house with a theatrical show | Open-air museum of wooden architecture | Farm where you can see moose up close |
| Best for | Children 3–10 | Families and adults | Families and nature lovers |
| Where | By the Volga bridge, in town | Next to the Ipatiev Monastery | Out of town, across the Volga |
| Time needed | About 1 hour | 1.5–2 hours | Half a day with travel |
| Booking | Required | Check with the museum | Check with the farm |

One day with small children? The Terem in the morning, the Sloboda after lunch. The moose farm needs a separate trip by car or taxi.

## Kostroma's terems and palaces: compare and choose

All the places in Kostroma with this tag rated by YesGo.

- [Snow Maiden's Terem](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/snow-maiden-terem) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · from 490 RUB, full visit 890 RUB

## The Terem and the old centre in half a day

Start at the Snow Maiden's Terem when it opens, walk five minutes to the Church of the Resurrection on the Debre, follow Nizhnyaya Debrya Street to the Trading Rows, come out on Susanin Square and finish at the Fire Tower. Add it to your route — YesGo sets the timing and walks.

1. [Snow Maiden's Terem](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/snow-maiden-terem) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · from 490 RUB, full visit 890 RUB
2. [Church of the Resurrection on the Debre](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/resurrection-church-on-debre) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free
3. [Kostroma Trading Rows](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-trading-rows) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free
4. [Susanin Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/susanin-square) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free
5. [Kostroma Fire Tower](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-fire-tower) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free to see outside; no climb

## Not to be confused with

The “Snow Maiden's Residence” on Simanovskogo Street 11, near the Epiphany-Anastasia Convent, is a separate venue with its own website and hours. Grandfather Frost's estate is in Veliky Ustyug, far to the north, not in Kostroma.

## Tips

- Book as soon as your dates are fixed, especially for the winter holidays.
- Take the first tour of the day: smaller groups, livelier characters.
- Wear your own jumper under the zipun — the ice room is below freezing even in July.
- No Russian? Kids enjoy it anyway; adults may want a translation app for the stories.
- Adults without children: the ice room on its own is the part worth paying for.
- Afterwards, walk five minutes to the Church of the Resurrection on the Debre.
- Want someone else to handle the booking and explain the folklore? Take a guided tour.

## Questions

### Where is the Snow Maiden's Terem in Kostroma?

Lagernaya Street 38, building 2, in the courtyard of the Snegurochka hotel by the Volga bridge. About 25–30 minutes on foot from Susanin Square and 20 minutes from the railway station.

### How much are tickets?

From 1 February 2026: 890 roubles for the full package (children up to 16: 790), 690 / 590 for the tour only and 490 / 390 for the ice room only. Prices rise from 1 December to 31 January. Under 3s are free.

### What are the opening hours?

Daily 10:00–18:00 with no day off; the ticket desk opens at 9:30 and the last tour usually starts at 17:00.

### Do I need to book?

Yes. Entry is not guaranteed without a booking. Use the form on the official website; groups of more than five book by email, and December–January bookings must be paid a month ahead.

### Can I pay by card?

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards don't work in Russia, so bring roubles in cash.

### What is the ice room?

A room kept below freezing all year, with ice sculptures by Kostroma carvers. You wear a traditional zipun coat and get a drink in an ice glass (children get a “snow cocktail”).

### How long does a visit take?

About an hour for the tour and the ice room together. The Terem doesn't publish programme lengths — this is our estimate.

### Is it in English?

The show is in Russian. Small children follow the costumes and the puppets; adults may want a translation app or a guide.

### Is it worth it without kids?

Only if you are curious about the ice room. The show is aimed at children aged three to ten.

### Can I bring a dog?

No, pets are not allowed inside.

## How we checked

Prices, hours, booking rules, address and phone come from the Terem's official Russian-language website, checked on 30.10.2026; the price list gives no currency, but the figures are in roubles. Programme lengths are not published, so “about an hour” is our estimate and marked “checking”. There is no official figure for the ice room temperature — reviews quote different numbers — so we say only that it is always below freezing. Some directories list other hours (until 20:00, or Wednesday to Sunday): those belong to other venues or are out of date; we follow the official website. The Snow Maiden's Residence on Simanovskogo Street 11 is a separate venue with its own hours (Wednesday to Sunday) and none of its data is used here. The 2008 construction date is confirmed by the official website and the Tonkosti guide. Language of the show: Russian, inferred from the official site, which offers no foreign-language programmes. Walking times are our estimates from OpenStreetMap; we don't list bus numbers — use Yandex Maps.

## Sources

- Official website of the Snow Maiden's Terem (Russian): home page, Prices (from 01.02.2026 and for 01.12.2026–31.01.2027), Programmes, Contacts, “Homeland of the Snow Maiden”, 30.10.2026
- Tonkosti travel guide: “Snow Maiden's Terem in Kostroma”
- English and Russian Wikipedia: “The Snow Maiden (play)”, “The Snow Maiden (opera)”, “Shchelykovo”
- OpenStreetMap: location of the Terem and the Khram Voskreseniya and Ulitsa Nizhnyaya Debrya stops

---

This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.