I recently visited the Cultural and Historical Center in Gorodets city (Gorod Masterov, Gorodets) with high hopes of immersing myself in the rich cultural heritage of the city. Unfortunately, my experience was far from what I had expected, leaving me feeling disappointed and frustrated. First and foremost, the staff at the reception were incredibly unfriendly and impolite. Their lack of warmth and willingness to assist visitors was disheartening. I had hoped for a welcoming atmosphere where I could engage in meaningful conversations about the exhibits and learn more about the city's history. However, the reception staff's demeanor was off-putting and left me with a negative impression of the center. Additionally, the craft demonstration for children was a letdown. It felt rushed and lacked the enthusiasm needed to engage the children effectively. The crafts presented seemed disorganised and poorly prepared, failing to create an enjoyable and enriching environment for the kids. Craft demonstration ladies were looking to perform for large tourist groups rather than individual visitors. We ended up returning a ticket back to reception, because we didn't feel like doing another class with this kind of atmosphere. The receptionist's respond was very rude, unwilling to fix the problem or apologise. As someone who values cultural experiences and seeks to support local institutions, it was disheartening to encounter such a disappointing visit at the Cultural and Historical Center. I sincerely hope that the management takes these concerns into consideration and works towards improving the overall visitor experience, particularly in terms of staff friendliness and the quality of interactive demonstrations. Visitors, specially yang kids, deserve a warm and welcoming environment that showcases the cultural richness of Gorodets, and unfortunately, my experience fell short of that expectation.

Gorod Masterov is a interesting stop when visiting Gorodets. Basically, it is a place where local masters of art crafts display their techniques and sell there creations. You have wood carvers, pottery, ceramic figures, weavers to name a few. The atmosphere is very "native" because the whole intent was to create the historical context of the craftspeople. Our tour guide mentioned that the goods that can be found here are usually more expensive than what can be found in the main part of the town because they are catering to the river cruise ship crowd and bigger tour groups that don't usually wander to many places. So, if you have the time, browse here and buy elsewhere if expense is a concern for you. Otherwise, its a great place to support the local artisans.