Museums and galleries

Get ready for a deep dive — Russia’s largest national history museum awaits you! This museum may require more than one visit: it would take 360 hours to look at all the exhibits from the museum’s current collections for at least one minute each. And this will be only a small part of what riches lie inside!

Things to definitely look out for:

• the front hall, whose ceiling is covered by a giant mural depicting a symbolic family tree of Russian rulers (68 portraits!);
• the exposition “Gold” in the Byzantine Hall;
• Mstislav’s Gospel (up to 1117) in the Suzdal Hall;
• Viktor Vasnetsov’s wall frieze “Stone Age” in the hall of the same name;
• samples of ancient weapons in the Iron Age Hall.

Added bonus: this world-famous museum sits on Red Square, which can be admired at any time of day or night. It was built between 1875-1883, has been perfectly preserved to this day, and just looks great in photos.

The Moscow Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Hill, designed by Marshal Georgy Zhukov, is the country’s main museum of military history. The vast territory of 16 hectares unites more than 385,000 exhibits and about 400 samples of military equipment!

Here you will find stunning exhibitions — “The Feat of the People”, “The Battle for Moscow. First Victory!”, “The Feat of the Army” — with sections on each year of the war and dioramas dedicated to the most important battles. Combined with multiple halls — of Historical Truth, Memory & Sorrow, Glory, and Military Leaders — this museum makes a stunning impression.

As you approach the museum, you will first be stunned by a spectacular 107-meter obelisk shaped like a rocket soaring into space that towers over the museum building. Not a bad start, right? Things will be even more interesting inside the museum.

You will see unique artifacts used to study celestial bodies and interplanetary space, including a duplicate of the first artificial Earth satellite, a lunar rover that wheeled along the surface of the Moon in 1970-1971, spacesuits of the first cosmonauts, and many models of spaceships. You will touch real meteorites and, supposedly, if you make a wish while doing so, it will come true. You can also imagine yourself as a cosmonaut by going inside the module of the Mir space station equipped with beds, work places, a dining table, and a bathroom. Vending machines at the local cafe offer various food items in tubes, including soup, a main course, and even cake!

A huge exhibition space dedicated to Russian aviation and the history of space exploration. You will see an unparalleled exposition consisting of three large-scale sections.

Inside you will find full-size models of spacecrafts, illustrative examples of the achievements of modern cosmonautics, unique samples of equipment and flying equipment. Also you will learn about the research of medicine, biology and astronomy in the space sphere, the development of space technology, and the intergalactic predictions of futurologists and sci-fi writers.

One of the favourite attractions of the pavilion's guests is the flight simulator, where you will fully feel like an astronaut. And we highly recommend visiting the 5D cinema ‘Cosmic Sphere’, where you can take a virtual flight into space and follow the path of development and conquest of the Universe.

This museum is a cultural and educational center with a rich history and extensive collections. It houses approximately 150,000 works of art, with only 5,000 of them being on permanent display, so it’s important not to miss current exhibitions.

As soon as you enter this museum, you are going to have a journey through space and time. In particular, you are going to sequentially familiarize yourself with the cultures of different countries, including Iran, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, and Tibet. Additionally, you can examine paintings by Caucasian artists, as well as handicrafts of the peoples of the Far North.

The main building of the State Museum of Oriental Art is a classical museum with display cases, which lacks any modern technologies. Perhaps that is why a special atmosphere of peace and tranquility has been preserved there. Attend tea ceremonies and learn about the way tea culture has developed over time. The lectures/concerts are a quite interesting format, too. You can study ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangements, and thus acquire an unusual, yet awesome skill!

It is the largest interactive museum in the country. Its spacious, functional and modern interior makes you want to come back again and again. The 12 halls of the main exhibition introduce visitors to the key milestones in the history of the Jewish people: from the creation of the world and the emergence of diasporas (you will see and feel this as you’re immersed in a 4D film) to the Holocaust and the present day. In addition, you can familiarize yourself with Jewish cuisine. By selecting a traditional dish favored by a sub-ethnic group on the screen, you will be greeted by a virtual cook who will teach you how to prepare it.

The museum has a large selection of current exhibitions dedicated to outstanding Jewish cultural figures and artists, books, and photography. Amazing educational programs for both adults and children are offered on a regular basis.

Be sure to visit the gift shop. It offers an enormous selection of books, including rare editions, as well as high-quality merchandise and handmade jewelry. Check out the museum building itself, too, since it is an example of the classical constructivism of the 1920s.

One of the largest natural history museums in Europe. The expositions include 28 scientific collections - from palaeontological and botanical collections to insect nests and fossil shark teeth. In total, the museum has almost half a million exhibits.

Children love to look at these and other amazing exhibits (and there are almost half a million of them here!), chase through the halls behind holograms - try to catch an ostrich or a tiger! Younger children will be delighted to get stuck in the ‘Life under the microscope’ classes, and if you come with older children, take a look at the ‘Inventive laboratory’ or one of the many informative and entertaining eco-lessons. The highlight of the programme will be a grand video show about different periods of our planet's history.

The Museum of Architecture has three exhibition spaces: the enfilade of the main building, which used to be an estate, the Ruins Wing, and the building of the Apothecary Order, a dining hall from the 17th century. The Museum of Architecture's collections contain over 820,000 items, from which curators handpick exhibits for current exhibitions. The crown jewel of the collection, original 17th-century frescoes from the flooded Makaryev Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Kalyazin, is on display for the public to see all year round. Don't forget to poke your head into the cozy courtyard with bas-reliefs of the Triumphal Arch whose construction began in 1829, statues, and a light and sound installation made of 348 glass Falconnier bricks.

The museum also performs scholarly research and restoration work. For architecture lovers, from October through May, various specialists deliver lectures (you can come to one or purchase a membership). Also, if you would like to make something with your hands, come to our drawing, mosaics, printed graphics, model-making, and architectural ceramics classes for both children and adults.

This branch of the Museum of Moscow is situated 7 meters below ground level. Its location used to be a site of archaeological excavations 30 years ago. One hall is designated for current exhibitions, with fragments of the Voskresensky Bridge from the 17th century being the highlight of the main collection. The display cases contain archaeological artifacts, including hoards of coins, household items, footwear, stove tiles, toys, and other manmade items spanning from the Old Stone Age to the 20th century.

Use interactive screens and binoscopes to travel back in time! These technologies will give you an idea of ​​what Moscow looked like back in the day. In addition, you will learn about the methods used to conduct archaeological research. You can try out being an archaeologist during a special workshop, where you can take part in improvised excavations and hold genuine antiquities in your hands.

The gallery, located in a luxurious, classical-style mansion, bears the name of the famous Russian-Georgian artist and sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. His works encompass realistic sculptures of rulers and artists of various eras and nations, models of monuments that stand all over the world, and remarkable, vibrant paintings. The gallery holds items from Tsereteli's personal collection. It also exhibits works of artists from Russia, the CIS countries, and Europe.

Immerse yourself in the gallery’s joyful, upbeat atmosphere! The eclectic hall entitled “Cognizing Good and Evil” with its bas-reliefs and enormous statues, including a gigantic apple in the middle, always draws particular attention.

One section is called "The House Church" as in the 19th century there used to be a small, domestic-like church there. Nowadays Tsereteli's biblical-themed enamel panels hang on the walls there. The artist’s works also decorate the gallery’s restaurant which serves excellent Georgian cuisine. Lastly, keep your eye out for the events held at the museum and come to listen to the classical music and amazing vocals!

Russia’s first state museum specializing in Russian art of the XX–XXI centuries. MMOMA’s houses more than 10,000 works by artists of different styles and trends — from socialist realism and nonconformism to avant-garde and naive art.

You will plunge into the world of contemporary art just by entering the courtyard — the entire space at the entrance to the MMOMA is dotted with sculptures by Zurab Tsereteli, the director of the museum. And then the most interesting things await you: here you can see the classic works of Russian avant-garde, visit thematic exhibitions of paintings and photographs, and get acquainted with the creative elite of Moscow.

MMOMA is not only a museum, but also a creative laboratory. The museum has a children’s studio “Fantasia” and a school of contemporary art “Free Workshops, » an educational center for young artists and curators.

This gallery attracts both artists who paint in an oriental style and connoisseurs of oriental culture. Despite its modest size, it is certainly worth visiting, at the very least for its special warm and cozy atmosphere, with tea ceremonies held amid works of art.

The gallery’s exhibitions follow one another, with the focus shifting from men's kimonos to Nepalese culture, calligraphy or paintings by contemporary artists who have discovered new facets of traditional oriental art. The accompanying texts and the guide's commentary help bridge the gap between ancient traditions and the present day.

It is worth noting that in addition to running the gallery, the founders carefully select guest lecturers who give talks on the themes of current exhibitions and organize comprehensive workshops and meetings with artists and art historians.

In addition, this place is perfect for those looking to purchase artwork, as well as sophisticated souvenirs and gifts.

Cube.Moscow is a contemporary art platform in the very heart of Moscow. There are 12 galleries inside, with exhibitions updated on a monthly basis, so visiting Cube.Moscow can be a regular occurrence in your cultural life. There is a full range of events: performances, film screenings, auctions, meetings with artists and collectors, and workshops for adults.

To find Cube.Moscow, you need to go up to the second floor of The Carlton hotel, which already puts you in a festive mood. Inside, you are greeted by pleasant background music and a complimentary glass of champagne, which is included in a special entrance ticket; so positive emotions are guaranteed. Make sure you’re ready to take a lot of photos as there are so many locations for quality content! As a souvenir, you can purchase an artistic trinket or a real work of art.