Pearls of Russia

Museums and memorial estates

Museum of History of Moscow

The Museum of History of Moscow is one of the oldest museums of the city. Its collection was based on the exhibits of the pavilion "Moscow" at the All-Russian Artistic and Industrial exhibition, which was held in Nizhny Novgorod in 1896. There the Moscow City Adminisration displayed its achievements in providing the city with all amenities, improving its medical and sanitary conditions, in a public education, charity. Just in this year the Museum of Moscow Municipal Facilities and Services was opened by the order of the Moscow City Duma. The Museum was located in one of the Krestovsky Towers.
The Museum changed its name and location several times within a hundred years- history. In 1921 the Museum was called Moscow Municipal Museum and was located in Sukhareva Tower - the restored monument of 17th century. Under the influence of the plan of Moscow-s reconstruction accepted in 1935 the name and an exposition-s character of the Museum were changed. In this time it was called the Museum of History and Reconstruction of Moscow and moved into the building of the Church of John the Theologian " under the Elm", were it is located now. Since 1987 the Museum is called the Museum of History of Moscow.
The Museum has in its disposal the unique collection which exposes the Moscow-s history since ancient times to now.
The archaeological collection contains monuments of the Stone and Bronze Ages: ancient tools, ornaments, vessels.
The Museum has the unique collection of the D-yakovo Culture and large collection gathered during archaeological excavations on the territory of Moscow-s historical centre and burial mounds.
The collection of imitative art-s materials shows consistently in an artistic form the history of Moscow, reconstructs pictures of its life, customs, a greate diversity of everyday life details. Two genres prevail in pictorial and graphic works: urbane landscape and portrait.
The documentary fund is one of the biggest in the Museum-s collection. Its materials show a political and economic history of Moscow and acquaint with Muscovites- life and history of municipal economy since the XVI century to now.
The fund of a rare book (since the XVI century to now) includes books about the history of political, cultural an economic life of the city, its celebrities, most sighificant events and outstanding inhabitants.
The collections of religious books of Moscow Printing Yard, guide-books around Moscow, text-books and illustrated publications have the greatest value.
The collection of numismatics, awards, badges has several tens of thousands of objects. Reward and memorial medals, orders, breast signs, signs of distinction, models of securities issued in Russia in the XIX century have the great interest.
The collection of porcelain, glass and ceramics includes items produced by Russian factories such as: the Yamburg, Peterburg, Nikolo-Bakzmetievsky glass-factories, the factories of Maltsevs, F.Gardener, A.Popov, the brothers Kornilovs, the Imperial Porcelain Factory, M.Kuznetsov-s Partnership, Gzhel factories.
The collection includes genre and decorative objects and porcelain statuettes-types of the XVIII-XX centuries.
During the XX century the Museum has formed the unique collection of genre objects which show the way of life and traditions of Muscovites. An urban costume, accessoiries, furniture, watches, produced Russian and European masters.