17 best museums of Moscow

*Review of the best according to the editors. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, not an advertisement and is not a guide to purchase. Before you buy, you need to consult with an expert.

Moscow is a cultural and historical center of our country where millions of tourists from all over the world come to see with their own eyes unique objects preserved to this day. In the capital you can visit museums of different orientation. You can choose the one that interests you the most. These are museums of history and natural history, cosmonautics and automobile industry, galleries of fine arts and crafts.

Many excursion programs include visits to the most significant places. And here are the most interesting museums to see for visitors who have only a few days in the capital and do not have much time to spare? This question will be answered by Expertology experts, who will become guides to local places of interest in the capital. Our review includes 12 museums that we recommend you visit first.

Rating of the best Moscow museums

The best historical museums in Moscow

The State Historical Museum

Rating: 5.0

First place goes to the largest national museum in the country. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a unique historical attraction of Russia. The first stone was solemnly laid by the emperor Alexander II personally. The building in Pseudo-Russian style was erected for 8 years, from 1875 to 1883. It became an important part of the architectural ensemble of Moscow’s main square. Many elements are used in the decoration: votives, kokotniki, marquees, shirkas, arches, weights, arcature belts.

The Fund counts more than 5 million. storage units. The permanent exposition makes up only 0.5% of the total number of valuable materials. All 40 halls are now open, and the exhibitions cover the period from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century. A unique opportunity is presented to those who cannot personally visit the exhibition. A virtual tour on the site will show you all the sights of the historical museum.

Annual attendance – more than 1.2 mln. visitors. For the 145th anniversary of the object a mass tea party was organized in the Parade Halls, where all guests were treated to cakes baked according to ancient recipes, the total weight of which was half a ton. Decorations are figures – copies of sculptures of the exhibition. The complex is located on Red Square. It is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Open till 20 pm on Thursday.00. Ticket price: from 150 to 500 rubles. Phone number: 8495692 40 19.

Moscow Museum

Rating: 4.9

On the second line is the museum association, which presents exhibits related to the history of our country’s capital. It was founded in 1896. The institution is part of the unique ensemble of Provision Warehouses. The exhibitions are located in the main building and seven branches. The collection counts 790 thousand items of different times. Personal archives of modern city historians are kept here. Also widely represented are family ancestral collections of household items and documents of famous Moscow merchants.

Its halls display works of arts and crafts, furniture from 19th century craftsmen’s workshops, oil lamps, crystal and porcelain, and textile shawls produced for a major event in the city. The exhibition presents the works of famous artists of different genres dedicated to the main city of Russia.

The complex is located on Zubovsky Boulevard, 2. It is open every day except Mondays from 10 to 20 o’clock. Closed one hour later on Thursday. Full ticket to all exhibitions costs 650 rubles., preferential – 325. All offers for collective service are on the official website. You can order a tour by phone: +7495739 00 08.

Armory

Rating: 4.8

The third prize winner in this category is the museum, which is housed in a building constructed in 1851. The architecture of the museum attracts attention with its carved white stone columns with floral ornaments. The interior decoration is no less rich and solemn than the facade. The exhibits are items made in the Kremlin workshops, and those donated by foreign embassies. At the exhibition you can see masterpieces of armory art, ceremonial and coronation clothing, clerical vestments, maidens’ outfits, armor suits of knights.

Visitors have a chance to see the largest collection of silver and gold articles by Russian craftsmen and Western European artists. The collection is varied and dates from the 4th century to the 20th century. The exhibition features Fabergé works, personal artifacts of emperors and empresses, carriages and carriages, thrones, dishes and other priceless artifacts. The entire exposition is located in 9 thematic halls.

The units are viewed by a guide or audioguide. The museum does not leave indifferent neither adults nor children. Here you can immerse yourself in history and feel a part of it. The Chamber is located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. Ticket price: 1000 r. – for adults, 500 rubles. – for students and pensioners, free for children under 16 years old. Working hours: from 10 am till 6 pm, Thursday is the day off. You can ask any questions by calling: +7495697 03 49.

GULAG history museum

Rating: 4.7

Gulag history museum is dedicated to the memory of Stalin repressions victims. This is a relatively new historical complex which was opened in the new millennium – in 2001 on the initiative of Antonov-Ovseenko, who spent 13 years of his life in the camps. The museum exposition covers the period from the start of repressions in 1920 to the closure of the Gulag after the death of the leader of the peoples in the 1950s and introduces the everyday life of prisoners. The exhibits are not just displayed in the halls, they are joint by theme. The specialists developing the compositions presented Solovki as a prototype of the system of correctional camps, showed the history of the NKVD, developed a composition acquainting us with the background of the construction of the White Sea-Baltic Canal, where for the first time in the USSR the forcible mass torture was used. The museum has several halls dedicated to specific areas of life of prisoners – daily activities, everyday life, work and death. The creators did not leave aside the difficult theme of childhood – how minors were caught behind barbed wire, how those whose parents were repressed or shot lived, what psychological pressure they were subjected to. Not GULAG-themed exposition includes the history of the Great Terror and forced deportations.

In the Gulag Museum of History, one can get a comprehensive overview of the scale and geography of Stalinist repressions, trace the development of these camps through an interactive map, and use VR technology to take a peek into the surviving infrastructure of the camps. Stories of the repressed, voiced by Russian actors, will help you feel the atmosphere of that life. Regularly scheduled performances, exhibitions, meetings, premieres of films and cartoons.

GULAG history museum is situated in the building on Karelskaya Str. 9, building 1, 1st Samotichny lane, open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12:00 to 21:00, Monday – day off. The entrance fee is 400 rubles for adults, 150 rubles for pensioners and privileged groups. Graduate students and victims of political repression can visit the complex for free. You can reach us by phone to make an appointment for a tour +7 (495) 681-88-82.

Chamber of the Romanov Boyars

Rating: 4.6

The only museum in Russia devoted to the life of the boyars of the patriarchal era of the XVI-XVII centuries. The extant ancient chambers on Varvarka Street have been standing since the 15th century. This place is called the Romanovs’ ancestral home and the Old Sovereign’s Court – in the late 1540-s Nikita Romanovich Zakharin-Yuryev (Mikhail Fedorovich’s grandfather) became its owner.

The exposition of the museum includes reconstructed interiors, household items, tiled stoves, personal belongings, books, trunks and interior elements of the time. You may notice that the house is built in a “verb” – two sections are connected at right angles. Each mansion has zoning, even in the basement the space is strictly distributed – there were places to store utensils and treasury. The houses of XVI-XVII centuries were built on the principles of house-building with a division into male and female parts.

The museum on Varvarka, 10 is open from 10:00 to 18:00 on Thursday to Monday, on Wednesday – from 11:00 to 19:00, Tuesday – day off. Ticket price for adults: 300 rubles., Pensioners and children: 100 rubles. Phone for ordering a tour +7 (495) 698-12-56.

The best art museums in Moscow

State Tretyakov Gallery

Rating: 5.0

The pearl of world artistic heritage becomes a leader in our review. The first exhibits were collected in 1856 by the well-known merchant and patron of arts Pavel Tretyakov. For this purpose he enlarged his own house and after its improvement he donated it to the city together with the collection, which already consisted of 1,841 items. Today, its 62 rooms showcase the works of artists of the 11th and early 20th centuries. These are Old Russian icons, graphics, paintings and sculptures. A separate room is devoted to articles of precious stones and noble metals for secular and ecclesiastical purposes.

Here you can see with your own eyes the canvases by Theophanes the Greek, Andrei Rublev, Ilya Repin and Ivan Shishkin, Isaac Levitan and Viktor Vasnetsov, and many other artists, who made our country famous. Annually more than 1,5 million visit the exhibition. This number is constantly growing, as well as the number of valuable items of the collection.

The gallery is located at 10 Lavrushinsky Lane. It is open every day except Mondays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday closes at 21.00. E-tickets are available on the official website. Cost depends on the category of citizens. Adults will pay 500 rubles., Pensioners and students – 200 p. Children under 18 go to the exhibition for free. To order a group tour, please call: +7495951 07 27.

Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts – for pensioners and students. a.s. Pushkin Museum

Rating: 4.9

Another must-see museum in Moscow is included in our review. It was opened in 1912, but construction began in 1898. The building is built in the neoclassical style and looks like an ancient temple. In 1937 it was decided to give the institution the name of the great Russian poet. Today the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts is a particularly valuable place of cultural heritage of our country.

The exhibition includes more than 700000 pieces. This is a collection of foreign art, including works of sculpture, painting, decorative and applied arts, graphics of Ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The collection contains a large number of ancient casts. In 2012 the museum celebrated its 100th anniversary. This grand event was widely celebrated. Medals and a postage stamp were also issued for the anniversary.

The Center of esthetic education for children and teenagers was opened at the Institute. Each year the exhibition is visited by more than 1.3 million people. person. In 2018, it ranked 47th among the most visited art museums in the world. Location: ul. Volkhonka st. 12. Working hours: daily from 11 am to 8 pm. On Thursdays and Fridays it is extended for an hour. Monday is the day off. Tickets range from 100 to 500 rubles. You can find out about preferential programs on the official website. Contact phone number: 8495697 95 78.

Museum of Russian Impressionism

Rating: 4.8

In third place is a young exhibition complex, opened in 2016. During the short time of its existence, many Russian and foreign admirers of this controversial and enigmatic art genre have been able to appreciate the value of its collection. The building was built with own money of a famous art patron Boris Mints who began to collect paintings of painters of the 19th – early 20th centuries in 2001. It includes several floors and stands out against the background of other buildings.

The earliest work is dated 1879. It belongs to the brush of Vasily Polenov. Also in the exposition are paintings by N. Dubrovsky, I. Grabar, N. Bogdanova-Belskogo, B. Kustodiev, Yu. Pimenova. Many works of art were purchased from foreign collectors and returned to the homeland. To enhance the experience, flasks of flowers and herbs stand next to the landscapes, creating an aromatic cloud. Composer D. Kurlyandsky composed five musical compositions based on masterpieces, which are played during the show.

The museum is located on the territory of the former factory “Bolshevik” at Leningradsky Prospect, 15. To buy an adult ticket through the ticket office will cost 400 rubles, if you buy it online it will cost 300 rubles. Many categories of citizens visit the exhibition free of charge. The complex works from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12 to 21 p.m.00. Info phone: +7495145 75 55.

Moscow Museum of Modern Art

Rating: 4.7

Daily from 10:00 to 18:00 the doors of the Museum of Modern Art in Moscow on Petrovka, 25. This is the first museum in Russia that exhibits only 20th and 21st century works. It was opened in 1999 and the founder and director was Zurab Tseriteli. He also set the beginning of the museum collection by putting on display 2000 works from his own collection.

The museum is located on five sites in the center of Moscow, on Petrovka in the former mansion of the merchant Gubin is the largest and most visited complex. The exposition is a demonstration of the development of avant-gardism. Works by Russian artists are predominantly represented in the museum, but there are also works by iconic foreign artists such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Henri Rousseau and many others. The MMCI prides itself on displaying the classics of the Russian avant-garde of the 20th century, many of which have been specially returned from abroad to their homeland.

In addition to the main composition, the museum holds theme exhibitions of artists, interactive tours and many other events devoted to contemporary art. A visit to the MMSI, by the way, costs very inexpensive – 200 rubles for adults, 100 rubles for adults. For pensioners and interest groups, children under 12 years old are admitted free of charge. If you have any questions please call by phone +7 (495) 690-68-70.

The best science museums in Moscow

State Darvinov Museum

Rating: 5.0

The first place is occupied by the museum, which is recognized as the most visited family oriented object. It is also the largest natural science depository in Europe. The huge exhibition arouses genuine interest among parents, kids and teenagers. It began to fill up in 1907, when a young zoologist Alexander Kots had the idea of opening a museum of natural sciences. He was faithful to his idea till the end, enjoying the new items in his collection.

The exhibit is on three floors. On the first floor, visitors learn the history of the museum itself and see an exhibition of items on “The Variety of Life on Earth. The second and third floors will answer many questions about animal evolution and the origins of man. Guests will be able to see living insects that live on five continents. All stages of life take place in transparent terrariums. A chrysalis turns into a butterfly and a predatory plant catches small flies before the eyes of visitors.

Modern multimedia equipment will help you to go through the labyrinth of evolution and go back in time by 3.5 billion years. years ago. Experienced guides will tell you about the exhibition. Guides” are provided for self-study at the computers on the grounds. Ticket price: 400 rubles. For residents it is 100 rubles. The institution is open from 10 to 18 hours, Monday is a day off. It is located at the following address: 3, Zelenogradskaya str. Vavilova Street, 57. Phone number: +7499132 10 47.

Museum of Cosmonautics

Rating: 4.9

The second prize winner is not less popular than the first one, the object of scientific development of our country. Its history starts in 1964 with the erection of the monument “To the Conquerors of Space”. A unique collection has been gathered since then, which attracts tourists with rare exhibits. The largest science and technology museum in the world experienced a major renovation and in 2009 the exhibition was opened with four times more space. Today the collection includes 93 thousand objects of the rarest galaxies of the 19th century. storage unit. These include rocket and space equipment, numismatics, philately, arts and crafts, paintings, and graphics.

Territory includes 8 exhibition halls, a cinema and a conference hall. Mock-up of the “Mir” space station, the first spacesuits and artificial satellites are of great interest. In the museum’s Mission Control Center, you can watch in real time the work of astronauts in orbit. Interactive equipment allows you to explore distant galaxies in detail.

The building is located at: 3 Mira avenue, Mir Ave. 111. Mode of operation: from 10 to 19.00 every day except Mondays. The regular ticket will cost 250 rubles., for the 50% discount. Family pass for 2 adults and 2 children will cost 550 r. To arrange a group visit, please call: 8499750 23 00.

Paleontological Museum n.a. Vernadsky. ju. a. Orlova RAS

Rating: 4.8

In third place is the largest museum devoted to the evolution of the organic world. The first exhibits began to be collected back in 1714. By the time of its opening in 1937, the museum had already become the largest museum in the world. museum has an impressive collection. But because of the small area it was not possible to place the whole exhibition. Then it was decided to build the building, which dragged on for two decades. The project was designed specifically for this research facility.

Made of red brick, this unique architectural ensemble resembles an ancient fortress with adjoining towers and a wide courtyard. Paleontological material was gathered by scientists during expeditions on the territory of the former USSR, in China, Mongolia and other countries. In six interestingly decorated halls with total area of 5000 sq.m. m presents the stages of evolution from the oldest plants and animals to the modern representatives of flora and fauna. One of them is devoted to the geological history of Moscow and Moscow region.

Paleoquests are prepared for visitors, and there is a paleoclass for schoolchildren. Photo and video cameras are allowed free of charge. Ticket price: complete – 400 rubles., concessionary – 200 rubles. Location: ul. 123 Profsoyuznaya Street. Opening hours: Wednesday-Sunday from 10 to 18.00. All the information is available on the official website. For more information call: 8495339 45 44.

Experimentalium

Rating: 4.7

The Experimentarium Museum is a large interactive exhibition covering the main fields of science – anatomy, physics, mechanics, optics, acoustics, hydraulics, electromagnetism, and mechanics. Here you can find models of clouds, mock-ups of truck and car mechanisms, Tesla plasma ball, and exhibits explaining the principle of waves, whirlpools. Mindball game is the pride of the exhibition. You can control it with your mind. There are already more than 300 exhibits on display, spread across 3,500 square. m., Many of them were created in the museum itself. The best part – the exhibits are not just possible, but even necessary to touch.

Not only children will be interested in the Experimentalium, but even adults note the high level of interest in the exhibits. The involvement of the guests increases during the experiments by the presenters – they will not just show you how a mechanism works, but also tell you about it and involve people in the experiment. Field trips are possible.

Interactive museum works daily. Tickets for adults cost 650 and 750 rubles on weekdays and weekends respectively, for children from 4 to 6 years – 550 and 650 rubles., Family and group visit programs. The Experimentalium is located at Leningradsky Prospect, Bldg. 80, k.11. To learn more about the programs and ask questions, please call +7 (910) 476-53-21.

The best Moscow museums

Tsaritsyno

Rating: 5.0

First place is occupied by a world-known attraction that attracts foreign tourists and our compatriots every year. The grandiose palace ensemble was begun to be built by the order of Catherine II. The architectural style is a combination of the Old Russian architecture and Moscow baroque. The project envisaged extensive construction of five palaces, premises for guests and servants, decorative structures, greenhouses, utility pavilions.

The museum complex has undergone several major reconstructions. After the last one, completed in 2007, it gets a new life. The park territory admires no less than the buildings themselves. Well-groomed lanes, well-groomed recreation spaces, fountains, ponds – everything is created for the convenience of visitors. Greenhouses started to function as early as 1740. Until now, the museum’s workers are growing exotic plants, just as they did 250 years ago. The three pavilions hold environmental workshops and informative excursions.

Tsaritsyno has become a favorite recreation place for Muscovites. In summer, there is a dance floor with a retro-program, rent sports equipment. Complex pass costs 800 rubles. It is noteworthy that every third Sunday of the month, visiting is free for everyone. The exhibition is open every day except Mondays from 11am to 6pm.a.m., on Saturday it closes at 19 o’clock, on Sunday at 20.00. It is located at: 3, Severnaya str. Dolskaya Street, 1. For more information, please call: +7495322 44 33.

Kolomenskoye

Rating: 4.9

The second line is occupied by the State United Museum-Reserve, which is an artistic, historical, architectural and natural landmark of the capital. It is the oldest place of human habitation in Moscow. This is witnessed by preserved monuments dating back to the 5th-3rd millennia. B.C. je.. The oldest church of 1532 is the Church of the Ascension.

The architectural ensemble consists of stone and wooden buildings, which are recognized as the top of the Russian architecture. During the visit to the museum special attention should be paid to the palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, which belongs to the mansion. House of Peter the Great is very popular among visitors. Objects which reconstruct the way of life of ancient times – water mills, stables, apiary, smithy – have been actively built recently. Interactive compositions allow you to learn more about the history of the capital and immerse yourself in its past.

Here are often held mass festivals, as well as the opportunity not only to celebrate a wedding in the old style, but also to register a marriage directly in the Kolomenskoye. Entrance to the territory is free. Ticket prices range from 100 to 400 rubles. for adults, from 50 to 100 for visitors. You can visit the estate every day from 9 to 20.00. In summer the working hours are prolonged till 00.00. Address: Andropov Ave. 39. Contact phone number: +7499782 89 17.

Kuskovo Estate

Rating: 4.8

The third prizewinner is an architectural object, which received the status of a museum-estate in 1918. It is considered to be the favorite creation of Count Sheremetev, who spent much effort and money on its construction. The complex includes the palace and several pavilions: the Grotto, the Italian, Dutch and Swiss houses, the Air Theatre, the Hermitage, the church with bell towers, as well as outbuildings: greenhouses and aviaries for peacocks.

The Count’s residence is surrounded on all sides by forest parks with a small pond with a boat station. On the territory there are ancient sculptures, and grows an antique larch tree, which is 200 years old. You can walk around the main house in a circle, thanks to the special layout of the main building. In one of the rooms there is an art gallery with paintings collected by count Peter Borisovich himself. Most artists came from France and Italy. The oldest canvases are dated to the beginning of the 16th century, the rest were painted in the 17th-18th centuries.

Guests are offered to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of that era, renting historical costumes and horse-drawn carriage. The site can be visited every day except Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 am to 6 pm. It is located at: 3, Zelenogradskaya str. Yunosti Street, 2, pg. 1. Ticket prices depend on the pavilions chosen. Complex pass costs 750 rubles. All questions please call: +7495375 31 31.

Moscow United Museum-Reserve Izmailovo

Rating: 4.7

Ancestral estate of the Romanov Boyars – the village of Izmailovo, surrounded by water, granted by Ivan the Terrible to Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuriev and later inherited by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The estate is a complex that includes the Tsar’s Palace, where the Romanovs family lived, the Bridge Tower and the Bridge Gate, the Church of Tsarevich Joasaph of India with a large iconostasis (Romanovs’ house church), the Intercession Cathedral, the Military almshouse, the Nativity Church. Parts of the ensemble were built at different times, architectural trends can be tracked by walking around Izmailovo every day from 10:00 to 17:30 except Monday. The interiors of the chambers have been preserved and recreated in the buildings where they were lost, and museum displays of the owners’ everyday lives and utensils are available.

The cost of the entrance ticket to museums – 400 rubles for adults and 200 rubles for children. You can walk around the estate for free. You can order a tour by phone +7 (499) 165-12-36.