Lake Pleshcheyevo is where a 16-year-old Peter the Great developed his obsession with the sea while on holiday. He continued to study navigation and boatbuilding and by age 20 had built a ‘toy flotilla’ of more than 100 small ships in Pereslavl, which he took out on the lake for naval manoeuvres. His sailboat Fortuna, one of only two of these 17th-century vessels to survive, is on display at this museum complex dedicated to Peter's seafaring efforts.
The Fortuna occupies its own building on the hilltop site; several other 19th-century buildings (including a recently restored one known as the White Palace) feature interesting historical and art exhibits relating to the emperor. The tree-shaded grounds make for a pleasant stroll.
The site is 3.5km west of Pereslavl's main road on Podgornaya ul; driving south from the town centre, turn right at the sign for the museum. You can park at the somewhat tacky boat-themed tourist plaza across the road; note that you'll have to pay for admission to the grounds first (R20), then walk up to the White Palace to buy tickets for the other exhibits (R40 to R100) – or else you can just buy the joint ticket for access to everything. There's also a brochure in English available for R10.
