State Historical Museum
Государственный исторический музей
A red-brick museum with spires at the northern end of Red Square, presenting Russian history in order from the Stone Age to the Romanov dynasty.
The State Historical Museum was founded in 1872. Its red-brick exterior features several spires that echo the style of the Kremlin walls, and it forms the northern boundary of Red Square. The collection holds more than 5 million items. The permanent exhibitions present prehistoric artefacts, Scythian gold, icons and manuscripts from Old Rus', and weapons and costumes from the era of Ivan the Terrible to Peter the Great. The richly decorated halls are themselves worth seeing. Tickets cost about 700–1,000 rubles, and the museum is usually closed on Tuesdays. Tickets can be bought on the official website. The museum is reached directly from Red Square, and it is recommended to plan a visit on the same day as Red Square and the Kremlin.
Opening hours
About 10:00–18:00 (extended Fridays and Saturdays); closed Tuesdays
Nearby sights
- Alexander Garden & Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Red Square
- Lenin's Mausoleum
- Moscow Kremlin
- GUM Department Store
- Moscow Metro
- Nikolskaya Street
- Bolshoi Theatre