Around gypsies and their way of life, many stereotypes and prejudices have formed, yet their traditions and lifestyle have always intrigued people. Gypsy culture, especially music, has significantly influenced world culture. To get acquainted with their amazing customs and traditions, it is not necessary to go to a camp; a visit to the Gypsy Museum of Culture and Lifestyle in Kostroma is enough.

The museum features paintings, photographs, costumes, household items, and ethnographic materials that reflect the millennia-long history of gypsies living from India to Great Britain, from Brazil to Canada. The exhibition reveals the relationships between gypsies and indigenous peoples of various countries, their traditional occupations, the influence of European fashion on gypsy costumes, and their contribution to the musical culture of Europe and Russia. Tourists come to the museum not only from Russia but also from Moldova, England, the USA, Denmark, Hungary, Israel, Germany, Bulgaria, France, and other countries. This is the only museum in Russia dedicated to gypsy culture, where one can learn about their traditions and way of life.

Every people, no matter how small, can contribute to world culture. Gypsies are a multifaceted and diverse people, whose representatives are scattered around the world, belonging to different religious denominations and speaking different languages.

The museum's first exhibition was titled "Gypsies and the Great Patriotic War," "Gypsies, Victims of Genocide," and "Gypsy Artists During the War," dedicated to the contribution of gypsies in the fight against Nazism. It features frontline photographs, copies of award documents, information from the state archive, combat orders, and medals. Visitors learn about gypsies who gave their lives for Victory or returned from the front, people whom the gypsy nation and the entire country are proud of.

This topic has already been raised in some countries. The Nazi genocide claimed the lives of at least 130,000 gypsies, of whom 30,000 were killed during the invasion of Hitler's troops into the Soviet Union, a significant number for an ethnic minority.

Significant assistance in creating the exhibition was provided by gypsy scholar and ethnographer Nikolai Bessonov. The museum has a hall called "The Nomad Life of Gypsies," where interactive programs with the participation of gypsy artists and puppet shows from the world's only gypsy puppet theater "Mishto Yavyan" take place. The performances are unique and exclusive. Here, one can see the cheerful show "Gypsy Moré at the Fair," the winter fairy tale "How the Snow Maiden Visited the Gypsies," and the rich, magical story performance "Gypsy Happiness."

The gypsy puppet theater is a wonderful place where children meet fairy tales, and adults return to their childhood, recalling all that is kind and warm. People come from different cities in Russia specifically to attend the performances.