State Historical Museum

Moscow
Moscow, Red Square, 1
Phones: +7 (495) 692 40 19
Web site: https://en.shm.ru/museum/

The Museum has departments of archaeological sites, precious metals, ceramics and glass, numismatics, weapons, metal, wood and furniture. The departments of ancient Russian painting, fabrics and costumes, visual materials, written sources, manuscripts and old printed books are extremely interesting.
For example, the Department of precious metals contains unique samples of fine plastics of the XI-XVII centuries, icons and liturgical books in precious salaries of the XVI–XVII centuries, Church vessels, utensils and lighting devices. Particularly interesting is the richest collection of works by Russian jewelers of the Silver age, represented by the firms "Faberge", "Bolin", "Sazikov", "Khlebnikov", "Ovchinnikov", etc.
And in the Department of fabrics and costume you can see historical clothing of the XVI-XVIII centuries, Church vestments, Russian folk and fashionable urban costume. Here are old hats, shoes, bags, belts, fans, umbrellas, canes and other accessories of the past and the last century, military and civilian uniforms of the XVIII-XX centuries, costumes of different peoples living on the territory of Russia.
There is also an exhibition dedicated to the leader of the Russian revolution, Vladimir Lenin (this is a separate Museum). It contains more than 75 thousand exhibits: personal belongings and gifts to Lenin and his family, his successor Joseph Stalin, paintings, prints, drawings, posters, as well as sculptures depicting Lenin, postage stamps, coins and collections of photographs.
The collection of the wood and furniture Department of the Museum has no analogues in the world in terms of uniqueness and diversity. It includes exhibits made of wood from the XIII century to the present. It presents not only Russian furniture, but also Western European, Eastern, as well as furniture from the republics of the former Soviet Union.

State Historical Museum is the largest national museum of Russia. Its collections have been forming for more than 100 years and now contain over 4.5 million items. Architect Vladimir Sherwood and engineer Anatoly Semenov created the building of the museum on Red Square. It was opened for visitors in June 1883 during the celebrations of Emperor Alexander III coronation. The exposition starts in a majestic Ceremonial Entrance Hall (Paradnye seny) with “The Genealogical Tree of Russian Rulers” painted on the vaults. The first halls (1–7) introduce ancient history: the development of human civilization in Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages.

Exhibits of the following seven halls (8–14) illustrate the epoch of Old Russian state. Archaeological artifacts, written and pictorial monuments, manuscripts, icons tell us about the momentous events in the history of Russia: adoption of Christianity, feudal division, fighting against foreign invaders. The exposition of 15–21 halls is devoted to the theme of the centralized state formation, expansion of its borders. The halls of the second floor (22–35) show us the great history of Russian Empire in the 18th–20th centuries.

The complex of the State historical Museum also includes the Museum of the Patriotic war of 1812, the Pokrovsky Cathedral, the Chambers of the Romanov boyars on Varvarka and the Royal estate "Izmailovo". All these buildings are classified as particularly valuable objects of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia.
Chambers of the Romanov boyars is the only Museum in Russia that introduces the Patriarchal life of the Moscow boyars of the XVI-XVII centuries. There are antique interiors, household items, clothing and utensils, tiled stoves, old books and other unique exhibits.
And visiting the famous St. Basil's Cathedral, you can marvel at the greatness of the old Russian architecture of the XVI century. The Cathedral was built at the behest of Tsar Ivan the terrible in honor of the conquest of the Kazan Kingdom. The building is richly decorated with wall paintings, here you can see a collection of ancient Russian iconography and masterpieces of Church and applied art.
In addition to full-time educational programs and excursions, the State historical Museum conducts lectures and excursions online.
Museum shops are open on red square and Nikolskaya street, where you can buy Souvenirs and books on exhibitions.