Arzamas: cultural history

What it is

Arzamas is a Russian-language project about the history of culture. In its own words, it invites scholars and tells stories with them about history, art, literature, anthropology and folklore. The site is split into Courses, Podcasts, Materials, a Magazine and a set of special projects. Courses can be filtered by topic: art, world history, Russian history, literature, anthropology, film, theatre, music, architecture and philosophy.

A signature format is the "likbez", a crash course that bundles videos, podcast episodes and a quiz around one big subject. The one on the Russian language runs in five parts: what Old Russian sounded like, where the letter "ѣ" went, how many dialects Russia has, whether loanwords should be fought, and why spelling rules matter at all. The linguists answering include Sergei Knyazev, Alexander Piperski, Igor Pilshchikov and Dmitri Sitchinava. There are similar crash courses on antiquity and on twentieth-century Russian art and literature.

Why we picked it

Arzamas keeps scholarly standards without being dull. Topics hook you from the title: a cultural history of metals, a cultural history of plants, a history of money, a course on why the Bible is a "superbook", another on the life and music of Stravinsky. The magazine is more than articles; the project says it holds thousands of texts, quizzes and games, so you can drop in for five minutes or settle in for an evening.

The presentation is careful too. Images are chosen with thought, every course names its expert, and lectures are broken into short parts with a table of contents. It's a good example of humanities knowledge told as a story rather than a textbook summary.

There's also a branch for children: an app called "Gusgus" with podcasts, lectures, fairy tales and lullabies.

Where to start

• Open the Russian-language crash course: five short parts, then a quiz to test yourself.
• Go to the Magazine and pick a quiz or a game; it's the easiest way in.
• In Courses, filter by a topic you like, such as architecture or music.
• Find the plant podcast: short stories about how plants shaped culture.
• If you listen on the go, check the "Radio Arzamas" app, where courses and podcasts can be downloaded.

Who it's for

Russian speakers who love history and art but are tired of dry lectures. Humanities students looking for a reliable starting point. Teachers preparing a lesson. Parents, through the kids' section. Advanced learners of Russian will find it rewarding listening and reading practice. Note that some items are marked 18+.

Quick answers

Is it in English? No. All content and the interface are in Russian.

Is it free? A lot can be read and watched on the site. According to the project, a subscription unlocks all audio projects: 399 rubles a month or 2,999 a year.

Is it only about Russia? No. Topics include antiquity, world history, the Bible, and Western music and literature.