There is an unusual Pumpkin Museum in Tashkent, which has a warm, homely atmosphere. Here you can learn almost everything about this melon culture, and even unexpected ways to use it. The museum gates are always open to guests. A straw camel with a bright blanket standing next to them attracts attention. Visitors to the museum are greeted as dear guests - they are treated to tea, cakes and sweets. You can see pumpkins of different shapes and colors everywhere. There is a sincere atmosphere of love and homeliness here.
The museum exhibits more than 1000 unique exhibits. Pumpkins of different colors, shapes and sizes fill the entire space: they hang from the ceiling, decorate the walls and lie in the corners. Here you can see a lot of items made from pumpkin: paintings, masks, figurines in the national style, toys, musical instruments, dishes, lamps. All this is allowed to be picked up and photographed. Visitors can also try on the national Uzbek costume and take colorful pictures. If you wish, you can buy yourself some kind of pumpkin souvenir as a souvenir or make it yourself.
The owners' yard has a fancy arch like a grapevine, which decorates many private houses. However, instead of grapes, a pumpkin entwines the metal frame, its green, unripe fruits hang directly above your head. To prevent them from falling, they are tied with a strong rope to wooden elements. Also in the yard you can see blanks for crafts, which must be well dried before work. This process continues for about a year. In winter, the fruits are stored in a well-ventilated area.
When the pumpkins harden, the top layer is removed from them, and only after that they are painted and varnished. It can take several years to create one complex pumpkin craft. Many products reflect the unique Uzbek flavor and local customs. Puppets made from pumpkins look very bright. Looking at them, it is impossible to determine that the material for the toy was a pumpkin. The owner, Dildora Rakhimovna, sews bright outfits for the dolls and makes accessories for them.
Tourists, neighbors, journalists and even ambassadors of other countries enjoy visiting the museum. Sometimes spouses organize holidays, during which they sing Uzbek songs, play folk instruments, and show puppet shows. Children often come here - they are always welcome guests. The owners regularly organize master classes for the children, where they teach them how to make crafts.
