Arkhangelsk Oblast eventually spread well beyond the Arkhangelsk Region. The Mezen horses, bred in the Mezen River valley, are rather small but suitable for difficult work and easily survive cold winters. The area of current Arkhangelsk Oblast has always been located on the trading routes connecting central Russia to the White Sea, and, in fact, in the 17th century the White Sea was the main sea export route for Russia. The whole course of the Northern Dvina is navigable, as well as the lower course of some of its tributaries, most notably the Vychegda, the Vaga, and the Pinega. The Mezen is
Primorsky District, Arkhangelsk Oblast in Plesetsky District. There are many roads around Arkhangelsk. The Northern Dvina is navigable, and there is regular passenger navigation upstream from Arkhangelsk. There is also regular, albeit infrequent, sea passenger navigation connecting Arkhangelsk with the settlements on the Onega Peninsula (including Pertominsk, Lopshenga, and Letnyaya Zolotitsa) which are not connected to the all-season road network. Arkhangelsk also has air connections with these settlements, as well as with Solovetsky Islands. There are two state museums in the district. The Malye Korely Open Air Museum is located approximately south of Arkhangelsk. It was created to protect the oeuvres of the Russian