Dymkovo clay toy is one of the Russian folk art handicrafts. The craft has existed for over 400 years. It was named after its place of origin — the village of Dymkovo near Vyatka. Throughout its history, certain traditional subject matters and images have developed, as well as the expressive means of pliable red clay, and painting patterns, dominated by such colors as red, yellow, blue, and green.

The Diorama exhibition features a bright and colorful Dymkovo toy composition titled “In Memory of Vitberg” or “Alexander Nevsky Cathedral”. The composition was created by Lidiya Sergeyevna Falaleyeva, a well-known Kirov craftswoman. For her work, she was awarded commemorative medals and prizes. In 1980, Lidiya Falaleyeva became one of the first artisans of the Kirov Region to be awarded the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR.

In her book “My Betrothed”, Lidiya Falaleyeva wrote,

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Vyatka has not survived to this day. It was founded on August 30, 1839, and its construction was financed by voluntary donations from the townspeople in memory of the visit of Emperor Alexander I in 1824. The construction lasted 25 years, the opening ceremony took place in 1864, and the church was eventually demolished in the 1930s. The cathedral combined different periods and styles: the features of the Romanesque churches of the Middle Ages, elements of the Gothic, and the decor of the Old Russian and late Empire churches. Visible from afar, it became the main sight of attraction in Vyatka and remained in the memory of many citizens. A garden was created around the cathedral, and the entire area was surrounded by a cast-iron lattice on a stone foundation. The coats of arms of eleven towns of the Vyatka Governorate were cast on the lattice. This park was the favorite spot for young people.

The design of the cathedral was commissioned by the local community and created by the exiled academician, painter and architect Alexander Lavrentyevich Vitberg.