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Museums of Moscow

Moscow named the city of museums real cultural treasuries Chamber and Diamond Fund ftate Tretyakov Gallery and museum of Fine Arts, new extraordinary museums in have appeared in Moscow in the beggining of the 21y century, state-owned and private ferent items Russian household articles, Soviet monuments, industrial culture artifacts, etc. Multimedia museum centers and fashionable art clusters occupying former factory or plant shops present contemporary art. They host art exhibitions, film libraries, theaters, lecture halls, animation centers, bookstores, bars and restaurants.

The new Moscow museums are interactive sites interesting for both children and adults. They are not 'art temples' any more. People come there to socialize, experiment and have fun. Interactive installations, performances, festivals, museum nights and audio guides make museum displays more comprehensible for visitors.

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Culture in Moscow

The State Tretyakov Gallery has arguably the best collection of masterpieces of Russian fine art in the world. Perhaps, this is precisely they - starting with Rublyov’s famous 15th-century “Trin- ity” icon, Ivanov’s painting “The Appearance of Christ Before the People" and Vasnetsov’s “Bogatyrs” - will uncover the secret of the Russian soul.

The Andrei Rublyov Central Museum of Ancient Culture and Art is accommodated inside Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, where the great icon painter lived, worked and is buried, and possesses a unique collection of icons.

The Moscow Polytechnical Museum is one of the world’s oldest scientific-technological museums and introduces visitors to the fascinating history of inventions and life of their inventors and authors.

To celebrate the 850th anniversary of the capital, the Moscow Museum of Archaeology was opened 7 meters beneath Manezh Square. Here you can take a trip through the medieval capital and even try on the clothes of the ancient city dwellers.

In April 2009, the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics, located in the basement of the “Conquer- ors of Space” monument, was opened after reconstruction. It has a hall with space simulators in which the bravest visitors can test their physical capacity and taste “cosmic” food in tubes.

In 2011, after a lengthy restoration, the Moscow Planetarium once again opened its doors to visi- tors. In this historical monument from the architectural epoch of Constructivism, you can learn the secrets of the universe by taking part in interesting experiments and virtual travel.

The capital’s main military museum, the Memorial Complex on Poklonnaya Hill, is dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. It is simultaneously an open-air technology museum, a history mu- seum and a beautiful park.

Also of interest are the Tagansky Soviet underground bunker, the submarine museum in Tushino Park, the museum of retro cars on Rogozhsky Val, and the exhibition of aeronautics on Khodynka Field. Entire art complexes, which house collections of modern art and organize exhibitions and private viewings, have been popping up in Moscow over the past few years. They include the Winza- 24 avod and Artplay complexes near Kursky Railway Station, ART-Strelka, a fashionable modern city space on the site of the former Krasny Oktyabr, or Red October, chocolate factory, the Multimedia Art Museum on Ostozhenka and many more.

History of the Russian Fleet Foundation Museum

The museum is situated in a unique place: on the shore of Serebry-ano-Vinogradsky pond, where young tsarevich Pyotr mastered the basics of seamanship, by himself learned to sail his own «Botik» and signed his famous decree «Sea ships - Let Them Be!». The collection covers the period from the day of the Royal Navy's foundation and until now. The museum's exhibition includes sea craft models, naval officers' uniforms of different ages, navigators' logs and many other items, which may not only be seen, but also touched. They teach the art of tying sailor's knots at master classes.

Museum of the Jewish History in Russia

The museum/which was opened in 2011, tells about more than two-centuries' history of Jews' life in Russia, the chain of metamorphoses. This is the history of people: both those devoted to their faith and traditions and those who became familiar with Russian culture.

OstankinoTV Tower,

Museum and Observation deck

Ostankino TV Tower (1967) is the main symbol of Russian television and a tour­ist attraction of Moscow. This is Europe's highest-structure (54-0 m). Following its reconstruction in 2011, observation decks were opened.

House with the Chimney Institute of Russian Realist Art (IRRI)

It is no coincidence that the proletarian name for this museum was «The House with the Chimney». IRRI takes three floors of the former cotton-printing factory of Emil Zindel (late 19th — early 20th century). The new museum-and-exhibition complex was opened in 2011. Today IRRI represents one of the richest collections of national realist school of 20th century. The exhibition covers almost 500 works of Russian and Soviet art by such recognized masters as V. Polenov, N. Clodt, N! Krymov, I. Brod-sky, A. Plastov, I. Grabar', A. Deineka and Yu. Pimenov. In the halls of IRRI you can not only enjoy the interesting canvasses but also trace the history of 20th century with all its discoveries and shocks.

Museum of 21st century

Multimedia Art Museum

In 2003, the famous «Moscow House of Photo.graphy» (MDF) was transformed into the Multimedia Art Museum and Moscow obtained a vocal abbreviation of «ÌÀÌÌ». The New museum bravely implements the projects incorporating state-of-the art information-and-communication art-technologies (media installation, media performance, video art, net.art and others);the reconstructed building of the museum on Ostozhenka Street represents 7 floors of exhibition space, large halls with up-to-date lighting and a minimalistic architecture. This is exactly what a museum of 21st century should be. At the same time, MAMM continues the MDF's tradition of holding annual festivals and competitions in the sphere of photo art: «Fotobiennale», «Fashion and Style in Photography», «Silver Ñàòåãà». The museum organized hundreds of exhibitions by photographers, including those of Alexan­der Rodchenko, Helmut Newton and Naubesi Araki.

Regained Heritage

Museum of Russian Icons

Russia's only private collection of Byzantine and ancient Russian art that was officially transformed into a generally accessible museum. It became widely known thanks to its outstanding artistic projects, for instance, the «Regained Heritage» exhibition in The Tretyakov Gallery (2008). The new museum complex on Taganka, which was opened in January 2011, combines two mansions dating back to 19th — early 20th centuries. The reconstructed buildings are specially equipped for exhibiting and Storage of art memorials. Nowadays the Museum of Russian Icons is not only the biggest (some 4,500 exhibits), Russia's significant private collection in terms of its artistic level but also the widest one in terms of material cov­erage. The basis of the collection encompasses some 1,000 works of Russian icon painting of different centuries noted for the variety of styles and high depictive merits.

I the Soul of Russia

Picture Gallery of llya Glazunov

The museum's exhibition is dedicated to the creative work of world-renown Russian painter. In his canvasses the master strives to dis close the grandeur of Russia's spirituality, the uniqueness and strength of Russian peoples. The gallery represents four cycles of llya Glazunov's works, images of Russian history, illustrations to works by F.M. Dostoevsky and Russian classical literature, «City» lyrical cycle and portraits of contemporaries. A special place among the artist's creative works is held by such statuesque canvasses as «The Mystery of 20th century^, «The Eternal Russia», «Destruction of the Temple at the Easter Night». The exhibition also comprises the master's theatrical works and architectural projects of interior scenes made for the halls of the Grand Kremlin Palace. A separate gallery hall is dedicated to the unique personal collection of I.S. Glazunov i. e. icons of various ages and sculptures.

Antiquity and Modernity

Zurab Tsereteli's Art Gallery

A modern center of arts is located in one of Moscow's most beau­tiful buildings of the classicism era, the Palace of Dolgorukov Counts on Prechistenka Street. The static exhibition consists of the vast collection of works by the famous painter and sculptor Zurab Tsereteli — paintings, graphics, sculptures and'enamel. An un­doubted artistic value is what characterizes the reliefs comprising the «My Contemporaries» cycle of works, sculptural series dedicated to Russian history and the Romanovstiynasty, statuesque enamels depicting varies iconographic scenes, A part of the static exhibition comprises the collection of imitations of ancient sculptures. The gallery's halls host numerous exhibitions dedicated to the history of the Russian Academy of Arts, works by masters of domestic art and by well-known foreign painters are exhibited.

The Mysteries of Creativity

Moscow State Museum Burganov's House

The exhibition is dedicated to the creative activity of the out­standing Russian sculptor Alexander Burganov. He is a master of global renown, his sculptures decorating the squares of European, American and Asian cities and being exhibited in collections of the world's biggest museums. A special architectural-and-artistic space designed and created by the sculptor himself and this place's unmatched atmosphere will never leave the visitors indifferent. The House hosts not only the exhibition of works by Burganov , his friends and students but also the workshop. The creat­ive process never stops here. Visitors can plunge into the romantic world of a modern painter and grasp the mystery of artwork birth.

Media Art without Borders

Electrical Museum in Rostokino

A new original site on the capital city's artistic map that arose on the basis of Rostokino exhibition hall. The museum focuses on the broad-ranging mediaart: from interactive installations to science art, from sound sculptures to Internet projects. The Electrical Museum's advisers, well-known artists Aleksey Shul'gin and Aristarkh Chernyshev, are sure that future belongs to elec­tronic, communications and interactive art, since it exerts a migh impact on viewers. The Electrical Museum hosts exhibitions of Russian and foreign media artists, concerts and educational programs. Here operates the Moscow Gallery of Sound Art (MGZI) tha exhibits multi-channelsound sculptures and other works of sound art. The permanent exhibition comprises works by pioneers of Russian media art, the «Electroboutique» group.

ARTSTORY Gallery of Modern Art

A brand new exhibition site on Moscow art map. Here one can see works by Russian and foreign authors working in various trends, techniques and genresjartists, photographers and sculptors of variouse pochs and fates.The gallery founders, collectors Mikhail Openheim and Lucine Petrosyan are interested in investigating both the role of history in the creative activity of authors and the role of painters in creating the history itself». The gallery com­prises four exhibition halls and art-residence for talented regional artists. ARTSTORY collection includes works by Aleksey Shvarts-man, Nikolay Sitnikov, Anatoly Zverev, Nikolay Vechtomov, Oscar Rabin, Oleg Tselkov, Moisei Feygin and many other artists who unveil the particular and unique edge of such a complicated phe­nomenon as «Russian avantgarde».

Depictured Moment

The Lumiere Brothers Center for Photography

The Center was opened on March 2, 2010 in the territory of former «Krasny Oktyabr» (Red October) confectionery plant. The exhibition of the Center bearing the name of famous Frenchmen, the Lumiere Brothers, the fathers of cinema who have «animated the Photograph: is dedicated to foreign, Soviet-era and Russian photo art of the 20th ce tury. The art site of the Center located in an old mansion on Bolotnay; embankment occupies more than 1,000 sq. m. Over Ä00 photo works are simultaneously exhibited in thjp three spacious showrooms. Alone with that, the gallery of collectors' photographs operates permanentl In the open library, one can flip through the photo art albums publish in the last 80 years, while in the bookstore you can buy specialist liter ature, postcards and photo posters. The Center not only holds exhibitions of domestic and foreign photo masters on a regular basis but al gathers exhibits for would-be Russian «Museum of Photography*.

Poet with a Photo Camera

Ye. Yevtushehko Gallery Museum

In 2010, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, a well-known Russian poet, prose writer, publicist, director, script writer, actor, photo artist and a pub­lic figure granted his gallery museum to Russia as a gift by way of gratuity to the Motherland which raised and brought him up. The . exhibition is opened with a collection of Ye.A. Yevtushenko's author's photographs entitled "My Humankind". Bright and vivid photographs illustrate various aspects of human life in the 20th century. The gal­lery's halls represent the works by famous masters of the 20th — the 21st centuries i.e. Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Gianni Pisani, Alfaro Siqueiros, Max Ernst, Joan Miro, Fernand Leger, Georges Braque, Niko Pirosmani, Mikhail Shemyakin, Yuri Vassiliev, Oleg Tselkov, Sergey Moiseenko, Tatiana Shevchenko, Alexander Bibin, many of which were presented to Yevgeny Yevtushenko by their au­thors, sincere worshippers of his talent.

Contemporary Art

According to its founder Daria Zhukova, this is «the place where people, ideas and arts meet together to make history*. Created in 2008, the Garage represents an independent cultural platform aimed at development of a new creative mentality in the audience. The museum archives contain a unique collection of printed, photo-, video- and audio materials relating to the history of contemporary Russian arts which enables it to position itself as an international expert in this sphere. One of Garage's top pri­orities lies in informing the Russians with the best exhibitions of contemporary world's arts.

«Vinzavod», Center of Contemporary Art

The complex of seven industrial buildings of the late 19th century recon­structed under the design by architect A. Brodsky. The Center was opened in 2007 and has become a significant art site, where art exhibitions, festivals, competitions and biennale take place. Nowadays, «Vinzavod» is a resting place popular among the youth. As of today, it comprises 12 galleries, dozens of shops, six educational work­shops and fashionable cafes. Each of the galleries is noteworthy. These are author's independent projects that familiarize the visitors with various genres and schools that serve a vivid reflection of contemporary art trends.

«The Worker and the Kolkhoz Woman»

Museum and Exhibition Center

This unique museum opened in 2010 is Located in the gigantic.pedestal of the famous statue by Vera Mukhina. It was created for the Soviet pavilion at the World Exhibition in Paris (1937) and later decorated the northern entrance to the All-Russian Exhibition Center. The four-storey pavilion occupying the total area of 8 ths. sq. m consists of several split-level halls connected with inclined interfloor ramps. The first floor is occupied by a high-quality exhibition dedicated to the history of the monument's creation: dummies and sketches by V. Mukh­ina and pedestal designer B. lofan. Changeable exhibitions are dedicated to Soviet-era paintings, sculptures and industrial design.

«ZDES» gallery

The Gallery was opened in the sum­mer of 20U on Prechistenka Street, in «Artifact» gallery complex. The gal­lery represents the creative works by Russian painters of the first half— the middle 20th century. The collection's major part comprises the works by the emigrants, who lived and created in Paris. These painters are well known to Moscow audience." In 2011, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts hosted a big exhibition entitled «Paris School. From Museums and Private Collec­tions of Paris, Geneva and Moscow*. The Gallery's mission is holding the exhibitions of masterpieces by famous masters of Paris school, as well as personal exhibitions of contemporary Moscow painters.

Vauxhall Art Center

Opened in 2013 in the historic building of Rizhsky Railway Station, it has a stylish modern interior with twisted stairs, theatrical chandelier and leather sofas. State-of-the-art technical equipment: hangers for photographs and paintings, as well as video- and audio equipment. The main hall represents a two-level space with the second floor structured as the .bal­cony. It fits ideally for holding thematic exhibitions/master classes and other cultural events.

Zeppelin Gallery,

A new conceptual space on the art map of Moscow was opened in April 2012 in «Novinsky» retail and business center. Zeppelin Gallery represents an art project format, which is unusual for the capital city, less pompous, more artistic. Sincere and affordable one that allows even the commonest people familiarizing themselves with the contemporary art. Nowadays, photo art is in its high day even to a greater extent than ever. It enjoys demand and wide interest. In Zeppelin Gallery you can not only get to know the masterpieces of the brightest con­temporary photo masters but also to buy the exhibits they like.

On the Fly as Before

Museum of Retro Cars

The passion to cars is a national feature of us. As the popular quotation goes, «every Russian is an aggressive driver...» And for some Russians collecting retro cars is not just a hobby but the way of life. The Museum of Retro Cars on Rogozhsky Bank was created in 2003. Here you can find out almost everything about the history of machine-building industry, famous auto inventors and their great creations, about celebrities' favorite cars. The exhibition is situated in the center of Moscow occupying the buildings of the former auto factory. The museum's basis comprises a unique collection of retro machinery. The five showrooms represent more than 240 rare domestic and foreign cars, motorcycles, bicycles, buses, Lorffes and special-purpose vehicles. What's most interesting is that the majority of these retro cars are on the fly despite : their respectable age.

Steam Locomotive's New Life

Railway Machinery Museum

It is commonly known that the world's first steam locomotive was built by Russian craftsmen, namely father and son Cherepanov in 1833, two years ahead of European inventors. And perhaps that is why the in­terest to the old-fashioned smoke-regurgitating monster becomes no weaker in use even in the times of space shuttles and touch screens. The flow of visitors to the Railway Machinery Museum (opened in July 2004) is an additional confirmation thereof. 67 unique exhibits stand on the rails including 1.2 ancient steam locomotives, Soviet-era diesel locomotives and electric locomotives, as well as three Stalin-era lounge cars meant for particularly important persons, an ambulance car, a heated freight car, numerous special-purpose machinery items, steam locomotive hydraulic column. There is also an operating life-sized dummy of rail crossing. All these are the witnesses and participants of more than sesquicentennial history of domestic railway industry.

The Culture of Drinking

Vodka History Museum in Izmailovo

The exhibition describes the 500-year history of the Russian national drink from the time of its invention until now. The collection repres­ents more than 600 vodka types, ancient and modern ones, collected from around the world. Vodka is an integral part-of Russian drinking tradition and cultural rituals. Its presence cannot be avoided at each significant event in the lives of the Russians. The remarkable role of vodka in our history is proven by the documents, tsar's decrees and works by well-known Russian philosophers demonstrated here. The museum comprises a valuable collection of stofs and bottles manufactured by N.L. Shustovand PA Smirnov, the legendary vodka suppliers to the Emperor's court. The other unique exhibition that has no parallel in the world consists of bottle labels of various times and peoples. Having learned everything about vodka, you can taste it in the museum hall styled as an old Russian tavern («traktir»).

Sweet Life

Museum of Chocolate and Cocoa History

The museum's exhibitional plot unfolds around the cocoa tree is an absolute miracle that blooms and bears fruits all the year round. The museum's visitors can get an insight into the history of a mysteri-ousMaya civilization, cross the ocean in the hold of a Spanish carvel and will be able to get to know the history of Spanish conquistadors' conquest of the Central America in the 16th century. The chocolate's journey in Europe is more interesting. In which form did choco-late appear on aristocrats' tables? How it became affordable or everyone? Why the Patriarch of Rome permitted to drink it in fasting period? And who was the first to bring this wonderful drink to Russia? The exhibition of its packaging is also interesting. It is composed of ma­terials from Russia's oldest confectionery manufacturers, «Abrikosov and Sons Partnerships now «Babayevsky Confectionery Ñîïñåãï» and «Einem», now«Krasny Oktyabr» (Red October).

«Made in the USSR»

Industrial Culture Museum

This is a truly people's museum of technical equipment and everyday life of the bygone Soviet era. It is the museum of reminiscences. Most of the things exhibited here once served common people in their everyday lives, residing in their houses. Some exhibits were granted to the museum by its visitors themselves. It is no wonder that people come here, in whole families and everyone can find something resonating his or her soul here. Children are attracted by the opportunity to pick at plain toys that once elated their parents. Mothers feel nostalgic seeing the mincing machines, vacuum cleaners, washing and sewing machines that once used to serve their grandmothers. While fathers have their eyes glued on already rare cars, motorcycles and other machinery marked «Made in the USSR». The museum has no plates and rope barriers common for other exhibition spaces. One can touch many exhibits, hold them in hands and find out the principles of their operation.

Museum of the Moscow Railway

The museum describes the past and the future of the Moscow Railway that has played an important role in devel­opment of the industrial Russia. The historic exhibition covers the area of some 2,000 sq. m. The museum's exhibits vividly demonstrate the past of the capital city's trunk line: these include documents and unique draw­ings, on which basis the railway was constructed, personal things of fam­ous railway men, work tools used to reconstruct the railway bed that was destroyed during the war.

«Ochakovo» Museum

of Traditional Russian Drinks

The museum comprises a unique collection of ancient brewing and kvass-producing industrial equipment: it discloses all secrets of technologies used in beer and kvass production from the 19th century until now.

Museum of Apple Devices

The museum has a unique retro collection /of devices produced by the pioneer of com­puter technologies. All exhibits are in work­ing order, though some of them are aged over 30 years. Old manuals and catalogues of «appld*> products are represented along with retro computers.

A. Mirek Russian Accordion Museum

Immerse yourself into the magic world of sounds and images of one of Russia's most beloved musical instruments inseparable from its history and culture. The accordion, or to be more precise, the harmonica is a true companion of Russians through foul and fair, and the barometer of spirit. Russia's only accordion museum was opened in 2001 on the basis of a unique collection that was being gathered during a 40-year period by a well-known scientist Alfred Mirek (1922—2009). He proved that the phonation method that involves.a metal tongue fluctuating under airstreams (this is the structure of harmonica) was invented exactly in Russia rather than in Europe. Some 2,000 exhibits collected in the museum's four halls describe the way covered by the instrument from the 1770s until now. One can visit a harmonica-producing workshop in themuseum.

What were the'Toys of Our Forefathers

Museum of Russian Folk Toy

In this museum, which is situated in the territory of the Izmailovo Kremlin, you can enjoy the masterpieces of the best known Russian toy crafts i. e. Dymkovskaya, Kargopol'skaya, Filimonovskaya and ¦ Polkhov-Maydanskaya craftsmen's teams. Authentic ancient dolls and funs are exhibited here. They are made of clay, wood, straw and fabric. In the museum, one can learn about talisman dolls once widely spread among the ancient Slavs, the history of the first Russian matryoshka (nest-doll) appearance, the present-day role of the doll, which some time ago served not only as home decoration. The exhibition dedicated to peasants' way of life demonstrates the functional weaving machine of the 19th century. Interesting master classes are held in the museum. It appears that under the supervision of an experienced artist, you can easily paint a wooden doll or make a rag talisman doll by yourself.

Spirit Barometer

A. Mirek Russian Accordion Museum

Immerse yourself into the magic world of sounds and images of one of Russia's most beloved musical instruments inseparable from its history and culture. The accordion, or to be more precise, the harmonica is a true companion of Russians through foul and fair, and the barometer of spirit. Russia's only accordion museum was opened in 2001 on the basis of a unique collection that was being gathered during a 4-0-year period by a well-known scientist Alfred Mirek (1922-2009). He proved that the phoraation method that involves a metal tongue fluctuating under airstreams (this is the structure of harmonica) was invented exactly in Russia rather than in Europe. Some 2,000 exhibits collected in the museum's four halls describe the way covered by the instrument from the 1770s until now. One can visit a harmonica-producing workshop ir the museum.

Bread Museum in the Izmailovo Kremlin

Bread has always been treated with a special respect in Russia. Obtained by a hard labor, it has always served the symbol of prosperity and wealth, the folk proverbs eloquently proving this: «Bread is the staff of Life!», «No slice of bread make people grieve everywhere». In sign of a friendly disposition, hosts always met their guests with bread and salt. But it turns out that our forefathers used to eat not at all the same bread we eat today. The unique technology of making peed flour and the secrets of the delicious and aromatic pastry made by Russian peasants are described in the museum's exhibition. Its collection .encompasses more than 100 everyday objects of the 19th century Russian villages i. e. dishware, bakery forms, ancient gingerbread forms and even national costumes. Guided tour around the museum may be combined with the master classln making traditional national starchy foods, gingerbread painting and drinking tea from samovar.

Russian Valenki Museum

Valenki (Russian felt boots) has always been an integral part of Russian costume, Russian way of life, Russian winter and even Russian character. Russian Valenki Museum is the only one in Moscow where you can find much new about this footwear. Valenki make even the most severe frosts bearable. This unique footwear, having no begin­ning, no end, no seams, no hems, was greatly respected by Russian people of all ranks and classes. The museum represents their vari­ous models, from painted late 19th-century ones to unique designer's valenki of the present century. Felt maker has always been an honored profession in Russia, the roots of craftsmanship dating back to old centuries. Acquaintance with the methods and instruments of manual felting, stages of industrial production of felted footwear and viewing the video film in the course of the guided tour along the mu^ seum allow tracing the way of valenki creation.

Corporal Punishment History Museum

This establishment is not for the faint­hearted. You should prepare yourself inwardly prior to entering the museum: you are going to visit an adren-alinic attraction, not just a museum. The exhibits occupy four showrooms. The first one demonstrates the por­traits of the best known executioners in the world history. Guillotines, the tools once used for breaking on the wheel and impalement are exhibited in the «Hall of Executions». The other two ones contain reconstructed torture machines and instruments, as well as execution devices being used even nowadays i. e. electric chair, mortal injection chairs etc.

«World History in Plasticirte» Museum

This private museum was created on the basis of unique works by the two craftsmen, Rostislav Oliunirvand Andrey Miller. The exhibition repres­ents a gallery of portraits of fawious public figures of different epochs and countries. Visitors of the museum can not only enjoy the elegant works but also listen to fascinating lectures describing the destinies and accom­plishments of the historical characters made of plasticine i. e. Pharaoh of the Ancient Egypt, Byzantine emperors, chiefs of Gallic tribes, ancient Russian counts and Frankish kings.

«Get to Know Yourself, " and You Will Know the World»

Interactive Educational Center of the State Darwin Museum

The Center was opened in 2014. The very space gets transformed here, just like in the magic «Behind-Looking-Glass-World». Transparent floor covers a flowing river full of fish flocks, tiny cells are growing up to the size of a mature watermelon, and continents obey any movement of a hand. Due to innovative technologies, visitors can become heroes of a fantastic future. In search of life they can look under tree crowns, soar up after migratory birds, submerge to the bottom of the World Ocean and crack a door to the mysterious world of a cell. Everyone, both young and old, can measure their strength, response speed and functioning of the vestibular apparatus and, comparing themselves to other living organisms, imagine the place of a human being in the Universe. Fascinating games and interactive exhibits allow doing without a museum guide.

Time Machine

Museum of Soviet-Time Game Machines

This museum, which was opened in 2007, is called a «time machine» fair enough. It takes adults back to their childhood and allows children seeing the past. The museum's"exposition is entirely interactive. One can not only touch everything but play games with acting machines dating back to 1970—80-s, such as «Sea Battle», «Sniper», «Magis-tral'» (Main Road), «Repka» («Turnip»fairytale), «Gorodki» (Russian folk game), «Safari», «Autorally-Ì» and others. One just has to put a 15-kopeck Soviet coin into the slot. There are more than 60 game machines in the museum. Of course, they look primitive compared to modern gadgets but to Soviet boys and girls, who were inexperienced in amusements, they seemed real miracle at that time. And now one can experiencethis holiday feeling once again — just having bought a glass of a good old sparkling water or milk cocktail and strike a per­sonal record in torpedoing the enemy destroyers.

Animated World

Moscow Museum of Animation

It appears that yet cavemen were the first animators-cartoonists. One can find out such trivia in this museum that was created in 2006. It demonstrates the history, the present and the future of animation, the art of «making things animated». Among 5,000 thousands of artifacts documenting the glorious history of «Soyuzmultfilm», Walt Disney Studios and Nickelodeon TV channel, jointed dolls, dummies and scenery, machines and devices used by cameramen of past years, instruments, awards, personal things of famous artists and directors. In the halls of the museum, one can enjoy non-stop demonstration of cartoon frames including those from the first one shot by Emile Reynaud as early as prior to invention of cinematograph. In the experimental multi-workshop every volunteer can shoot and voice own. cartoon all alone and proudly write his/her name into the credits.

Scientific Attraction

Experimentanium, the Museum of Amusing Sciences

An Enjoyable Place

Optical Illusions Museum

A new format of an exhibition center, where photographing is not only unprohibited, but also is an integral part of the interactive exhibition.The museum with the area of some 1,000 sq. m was opened in 20U in the center of Moscow, nearby the capital city's main pedestrian street, Arbat. A visitor is not just a viewer here but a full participant. The main thing is to equip oneself with a photo camera or a mobile phone with a camera and make a good shot. The floor contains special marks designating the points, from which one can make the best photos of one or another objects, the best samples hanging on the walls. Visitors can find themselves in the lake accompanied by alligators or pose as meals on a huge plate, pacify a furious lion, sail aboard the Titanic, climb the spire of the Ostankino Tower and even see his or her image on the American Dollar. In a word, no one will be bored.

Learning through Game

Lunarium Museum at Moscow Planetarium

Here every secret comes to light, and what's incredible becomes ap­parent. Founders of the museum that was opened in 2011, did their best to make it as interactive as possible. In Lunarium, everyone not only can but also should touch everything by hands, press, launch and perform scientific experiments. It has been proven that such a game-like manner facilitates comprehending the sophisticated laws of physics and astronomy. Technical equipment of Lunarium is highly competitive with those of European interactive museums. It is located on two floors in two halls, «Astronomy and Physics" and «Everything about Space». The latter looks like a compartment of would-be inter­planetary spacecraft. The museum's exhibition contains more than 80 extraordinary exhibits. They allow creating artificial clouds, generating forceful tornadoes, producing electric power and even finding out one's weight on different planets of the Solar System.

InnoPark in Sokolniki

Interactive museum that was foun­ded in 2014 invites everyone into the world of joyful scientific discoveries. Here young visitors can combine the game and the learning, the rest and the research, and feel themselves true creators. It is not only permitted to touch exhibits of the museum but also to perform exciting tests and experiments using them. Although the museum is dedicated for children aged 5 to 15, it is visited with a great pleas­ure by adults as well. InnoPark incorporates a mini -planetarium, where one can make a breath-taking journey along the Solar system. Physical Kunstkamera

The museum at the Scientists' House of Troitsk Scientific Center under Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) was opened in 2007. Its motto is: «Entertain while teaching, Teach while entertaining*. Unusual installations, scientific tricks and interactive startds tell the visitors about complicated physical phenomena in a comprehensible game-like manner. The exposition was created in strict accordance with Confucius' quote: «Tell me and I'll forget. Show me andj/ll remember. Involve me and Ttrunderstand!». Here one can see functional devices, plant models, ex­perimental stands, all of them meant for stimulating interest to science and assisting the visitors with looking into the essence of the laws of physics.

Great Poet s Tutor

V.L Pushkin House Museum on Staraya Basmannaya Street

This ancient wooden mansion was the home of the great poet's blood uncle Vassily Pushkin, a well-known verse maker of the early 19th century, the creator of a scandalous poem «The Dangerous Neighbor* (1811) for several years. On June 06, 2013, museum was opened in the house. «A tender, delicate and exquisite writer is my Uncle. The Parnassian father of mine», - the nephew wrote about him. V.L. Pushkin was an outstanding and flamboyant personality, a symbolic figure for the capital cify of Moscow. His hospitable house was visited by Vassily Zhukovsky, Nikolay Karamzin and of course by A.S. Pushkin. They intentionally have no labels to exhibits of the museum. This is a luminous and comfortable residential house of a Muscovite of the early 19th century, the hospitable owner of which seems just to have left for a minute or so...

«The Haunted Flat»

M.A. Bulgakov Museum

«This flat, No. 50, has long before had a strange, if not ill reputation... (Mikhail Bulgakov «The Master and Margarita*). This is where the famous novel hives Woland and his entourage and other world's forces come into contact with those days' Moscow people. This is where the Satan's Great Rout took place. The prototype of «The Haunted Flat* was the apartment under the same No. 50 in house 10 on B. Sadovaya Street, where one of the rooms was inhabited by the writer and his first wife Tatiana Lappa in the years of 1921—1924. Since 2007, the apartment has become the State Bulgakov Museum. This is a former proletarian communal apartment with a ling corridor and rooms on the both sides, each of them reflecting Bulgakov's way of life in the years of his living here. «The Haunted Flat* is a mystic and extraordinary place that allows us sinking into the atmosphere of that long-ago epoch described in the great writer's novels.

Line of Fortune

Andrey Bely Memorial Flat

The world's only museum dedicated to Andrey Bely (1880—1934), a poet, writer, philosopher and theorist of symbolism. The exhibition al­lows us dipping into the atmosphere of the first third of the 20th century, introduces to the biography and creative activity of one of the Silver Age's most remarkable representatives. The museum is situated in the Arbat Street apartment where Andrey Bely was born. His first vivid «moments of consciousness*, childhood memories of the world, people and of himself are associated with it. This is where the years of his studies passed, the studies in the famous Lev Polivanov private gymnasium on Prechistenka Street and then at Moscow University. This is where Borya Bugayev (his real name), a boy from professor's family, formed into a modernist writer, the leader of Moscow symbolists Andrey Bely. This is where he experienced his first passions. The writer's miracu­lously surviving personal things are most valuable exhibits here.

The Great Composer s Voice

«Ð.1. Tchaikovsky and Moscow» Museum

The building on the Garden Ring Road dating back to the middle 19th century is the only surviving place of Moscow residence of P.I. Tchaikovsky, the head of the capital city's school of composers, a pedagogue and conductor. This is where Pyotr lived from September 1872 to November 1873. The new exhibition entitled «Tchaikovsky and World» and dedicated to the composer's 175th anniversary allows getting an insight into his way of life, habits and surroundings though his personal things, photographs, engravings, documents and, certainly, manuscripts. Sheet music of operas, ballets and symphonies can be seen in the minutest details. In the Museum one can «flip through" the composer's autographs, listen to music and the voice of Tchaikovsky himself recorded in 1890 using the phonograph of Edison. The com­poser's works performed by prizewinners of All-Russian and interna­tional competitions can be listened to in the concert hall.

Pages of Life

S.S. Prokofiev Museum

The outstanding composer has lived here in Kamergersky Lane from 1947 to the day of his passing on March -5, 1953. His childhood and youth, studies at the conservatory, years of emigration and comeback to the motherland, his friends and colleagues are de­scribed in the exhibition entitled «Sergey Prokofiev's Pages of Life». The hall decorated in the modernist style comprises the composer's personal things i. e. the Bible, a typewriter, the chess, a seconds counter, a smoking pipe, visiting cards, a walking-stick, the gloves, a traveling bag. The shelves are full of rare authentics i. e. documents photographs, autographs, posters. The exhibition's Holy of Holies is Sergey Prokofiev's memorial study. This is where he worked in his last years. The concert-and- exhibition hall is the place where changing exhibitions take place, video recordings of the composer's operas and ballets are demonstrated as well as music sounds.

Bulgakov House, Theatre Museum

It is located on the 1st floor of the famous house at Sadovaya Street 10, where M.A. Bulgakov lived in the early 1920-s. The museum, which was opened in 2004, hosts a unique electronic exhibition dedicated to the writer's life and creative activity. It contains over 500 photographs and documents, as well as fragments from movies and theatrical performances staged on the basis of his works. The walls are covered with the screens showing alternating photos of Bul­gakov, manuscript copies, letters, documents, fragments from «The Days of the Turbins», «A Dog's Heart», «Flight», «lvan Vassilievich: Back to the Future» movies.

I.S. Turgenev Museum on Ostozhenka Street

Varvara - the mother of the great Russian writer I.S. Turgenev in this house lived from 1840 to 1850. Ivan Turgenev used to visit his dear mom frequently, and in his «Ìèòè» tale the events that took place here are described. Real per­sons, who lived in the house, served the proto­types to the characters of the famous work.

G. S. Ulanova Apartment Museum

The museum of the great Russian ballerina, which was opened its doors to the visitors in 2004, is located in the famous high-riser on Kotel'nicheskaya embankment, where Soviet artistic elite used to live.

The Eighth Wonder of the World

The Palace of Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich (Alexis of Russia)

According to experts, this is one of the most successful artist-ic-and-historic reconstruction in Europe (2010). Present-day crafts­men managed to recreate the amazingly beautiful tsar's wooden tower-like palace in Kolomenskoye (1668—1669) which was named by poet Simeon Polotsky «the eighth miracle», that is the eighth wonder of the world. The only deviation from the original consisted in using a reinforced concrete framing aimed at insuring the building against fire. In 17th century, the palace served the main country seat of Russian monarch Aleksey Mikhailovich. Took place here the meet­ings of the Council of Boyards and receptions of foreign ambassadors. The palace looks beautiful not from outside only. Rich interiors of the tsars mansion and private quarters are recreated in details as well. Exquisite carving and paintings, gold plated furniture, precious candelabra, Persian carpets, those all made the «mansion attire».

The Versailles of Moscow

«Tsaritsyno» Open-Air Museum

The Year of Ordeals and the Victory

Museum of the 1812 Patriotic War

The museum was opened to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 — a symbolic event in the history of Russia. Invasion of Napbleon army sparkled an unprecedented splash of peoples' national consciousness. Everyone: young and old rose to defend the Motherland againstthe aggressors... The 1812 museum is situated in the territory of the Historic Museum in the purpose-built two-floor pavilion of 1,800 sq.m). The history of that great epoch is reproduced to a large scale, in details and completely: from the events preceding the war to foreign campaigns of the Russian Army in 1813—18U. Among 2,000 exhibits one can see such rarities as Bonaparte's personal armament and orders, his camp bed, samovar barrel, from which Kutuzov himself drank tea. Thanks to the museums being equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia systems and interact­ive stands, history becomes closer and comprehendible to visitors.

GULAG Archipelago

State Museum of GULAG History

The founder of the museum, which was opened in 2004, is A.V. Antonov-Ovseenko (1920—2013), a well-known historian and pub­licist who early in his life got through Stalin-era camps. The ex­hibition describes the history of creation, development and decline of the system of so-called correctional labor camps — the most important component of Soviet state machine in 1930s—1950s; its political, administrative and economic role in the USSR. Presented are the documents, letters, memoirs of former GULAG prison­ers; a collection of'their personal things, a compilation of artistic works created both by convicted painters and by present-day au­thors trying to interpret this tragic theme. The destinies of people who became victims of repressions but who had not had their spirit broken really impress.

Russian Way

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Russian Diaspora House

A unique complex combining the functions of a museum, the archives, a library, a scientific-research,: publishing as well as cultural-and- educational center. Its activity is dedicated to the historical phenomenon of Russian diaspora and to connections' strengthening between fellow nationals living abroad. This is the archives-museum of nondomestic Russians, where everyday ob­jects, artistic works, documents, manuscripts, book collections, photographs and film footage are kept. The House exhibits represent a valuable source of information and knowledge on the history and life of emigrants, and in point of fact on the pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary periods of Russia's development. The museum's funds grow on account of numerous gifts granted by Russi­ans living all over the world.

Cold War Catacomb

«Òàäànêà Bunker-42» Museum

Those who Love rattling their nerves will enjoy a genuine Soviet-era nuclear bomb-proof shelter situated at 65 m depth. This is the planet's only museum of cold war, the time when the world stood on the verge of self-destruction. Thematic guided tours having titles speaking for themselves: «Secrecy Label Lifted», «NVP (Basic Military Trainings «Extreme», «Soviet Russia», «Caribbean Crisis» are to visitors' choice. You can find yourself in the conference hail of the top management of the USSR, which was reconstructed pur­suant to original designs, or check whether you are able to meet the standard of Soviet basic military training as regards assembly / dismantling of the Kalashnikov gun and putting on a gas mask. The trademark special effect of the «Âunêåã» is imitation of launch and explosion of P-36M2 «Voyevoda» nuclear missile in the alleged.

Freightliner Super Tractor.

In order to feel oneself an American long-distance truck driver, it is just enough to climb into the cabin of a huge truck. There is enough room for 40 first-graders in the cabin.

Russia's longest Foucaults pendulum.

Fifty kilogram sphere suspended on a 16-meter cable swings in the same plane, while the «Earth» slowly turns around.