Historical Museum in Moscow: review of the visit

Traveling to different countries and cities, sometimes we do not see the treasures that lie right in front of our noses. The Historical Museum on the capital's Red Square is the very place that Muscovites pass by hundreds of times, but not everyone has been here. Thousands of tourists pass by, running to the Armory and other museums, and all past the Historical Museum. I would like to share here my review of my visit to the Historical Museum in Moscow.

One day, while planning our cultural program of visiting interesting places in Moscow, a friend came up with an idea: shouldn’t we go to the Historical Museum? Even as a child, I heard stories from my grandfather, a history buff, who once visited this museum. According to his stories, he spent at least 5 days here, studying the halls in detail. But, to my shame, I have never been to the museum.

Historical Museum building

The historical museum on Red Square is more than 100 years old - it was opened in June 1883 during the solemn coronation of Emperor Alexander III. A magnificent building, erected according to the design of V.O. Sherwood and A.A. Semenov are rarely missed by any tourist - it is in all the photographs! The museum's collection is truly huge - more than 4.5 million exhibits, of which about 21,000 are on display. If you examine each item for a minute, then even a week will not be enough to examine it. The total route through the museum is about 3 km, impressive?

In general, we urgently need to fill the education gap and go to the Historical Museum. No sooner said than done. We planned, got together, met. We go to Red Square, nervously wrinkling our nose: “Oh, there are so many tourists here.”

The main entrance to the Historical Museum is closed. Tourists enter here from the eastern side, from the Ascension Gate.

Surprisingly, on this day, there were no young men in the uniform of archers - the favorites of foreign tourists - at the entrance to the Historical Museum. This did not upset us much, as we hurried inside.

The ticket office is located right next to the entrance. Before turning to the ticket office, we also saw an information stand informing us that it was possible to join an excursion, but the time of the excursions was not indicated. We also didn’t see any information about excursions at the ticket office and decided to walk through the museum on our own.

At the box office we took a complex ticket (price 350 rubles per person) and went to the cloakroom. A very big mistake was that we did not buy the museum layout (after all, it is really huge!). We saw that the book kiosk was selling a map of the halls when we were already leaving the museum.

It must be said that the permanent exhibition has 35 rooms. It is unlikely that you will be able to examine everything in detail at one time (for example, it took us 3 hours to explore the museum at a gallop), so it is best to plan your route in advance, study the museum layout, select topics of interest, for example, only the Ancient World, or only the New Check the website for times when tours of the museum are available. It should also be noted that the museum also has an audio guide, but you can rent it not at the ticket office, but just before entering the main exhibition (there is no information about this at the ticket office). The audio guide is paid and a deposit is also required.

At the entrance to the museum, visitors are carefully searched by security guards and their bags are checked. In addition, you must definitely put things in the wardrobe. Having finished with all the formalities, we finally go to see the museum.

First of all, we found ourselves in the Main Entrance, decorated in Russian style. On the ceiling you can see the “Romanov Family Tree”. An interesting fact is that this fresco was plastered over in 1937, and the panel was restored and opened only in 1997.

Front entrance

Lions at the front entrance

Romanov tree

English breakfast

After much oohing and ahhing about the beauty of the Grand Entrance Hall, we went to see the English Tea Party exhibition, where various pieces of porcelain were on display. Here we were able to take plenty of photographs of that same English Wedgwood porcelain, which was strictly forbidden to be photographed at the temporary exhibition.

Wedgwood porcelain

The ceiling in one of the halls.

Ceiling in one of the halls

After viewing the exhibition, we again found ourselves in the Main Entrance.
Having mentally prepared for the main exhibition, we decided to check with the caretaker where the inspection began. We were recommended to first view the exhibition of gold items, and then move on to the halls where the culture of the Ancient World is presented. “Everything is so confusing here,” exclaimed the caretaker.

Exhibition "Gold-metal of the gods and the king of metals"

Two large halls were dedicated to products made of precious metals. What is there: boxes, dishes, trays, icons! More than 800 items from the museum's storerooms are presented here, all of them are made of gold or decorated with it. For many years, these items were kept in the museum's Special Storeroom and were not presented to the general public.

Gold metal of the gods

Golden Collection

And if you raise your head, you can see the amazingly beautiful ceiling!

Ceiling in the Historical Museum

After a thorough inspection of two exhibitions, we were already tired... But there were still 35 halls ahead!!!

Halls 1-7: Ancient history

Each room that appeared before our eyes was more interesting than the previous one. It should be noted that each of the halls was originally decorated in accordance with the concept of the exhibition.

In the center of the 4th hall, for example, there is a real dolmen.

Hall 4. Bronze Age

Deity. Bronze Age hall

Halls 8-14: Old Russian state

In the design of the next room, elements of the 12th century cathedrals of Vladimir are clearly visible.

In the 11th room there are treasures of the 12th-12th centuries, monuments of Russian writing.

Culture of ancient Rus' of the 9th-13th centuries

Rooms 15-21: The emergence of a centralized state

One of the most beautiful halls is Hall 18 “Sovereign Courtyard” and the administration of the 16th-17th centuries.

Hall 20 is also interestingly decorated - dedicated to Russian culture of the 16th-17th centuries. In the center of the hall is a unique globe made by Dutch masters.

After visiting the first floor, we went to the second. This interesting carriage was displayed in the foyer.

On the second floor, the halls are dedicated to the history of the Russian Empire in the 18th-19th centuries.

Second floor

The style of the second floor is radically different from the first - light and classicism reign here. A large number of costumes, carriages, dishes, and awards are on display.

Winter cart

Masquerade sleigh.

Masquerade sleigh

In one of the rooms I was struck by a porcelain composition that was supposed to be a table decoration for Catherine II.

Porcelain decoration for the festive table

Sailboat model

In the center of room 32 is a model of a speaking room in the house of A.S. Khomyakov.

Talking room

One of the last halls displays a unique exhibit, of which virtually none have survived in Russia - a restored children's carriage of the children of one of the emperors.