Museums and Galleries

Catherine the Great's wedding dress on show in The Armoury

The Armoury

Kremlin, Troitsky Most M: Okhotny Ryad
Hours: 10-4:30 Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun.

This is the principal Kremlin museum, with a rich collection that evolved from the royal weaponry and armour workshops once located here. Court carriages, thrones, crowns, and extensive ambassadoral gifts to Russian tsars are on display here. The "pieces de resistance" of the collection are undoubtebly the Faberge eggs, including one that bears a scale model of the trans-Siberian train in gold, by the famous miniaturist.

State Historical Museum

1 Krasnaya Ploshchad. M: Ploshchad Revolutsii, or Okhotny Ryad Hours: 11- 7 Wed-Mon.

Sitting on the edge of Red Square, this museum tracks Russian history from the early Neanderthal period. Including archeological artifacts, manuscripts, ancient books, glass and ceramics and traditional clothing from all regions in Russia.

The State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

12 Volkhonka Ulitsa. M: Kropotkinskaya.
Hours: 10-7 Tues-Sun.

This museum is Moscow's equiavalent of the Hermitage in St Petersburg. It boasts a huge selection of European works from the Renaissance onwards, mostly seized from Germany by the Red Army after the war, although following a bill passed In 1997, they are now the property of the Russian Federation.

The Tretayakov Gallery

10-12 Lavrushinsky Pereulok M: Tretyakovskaya
Hours: 10-8 Tues-Sun.

From icons to Kandinsky, this is the world's best collection of Russian art.

The Central House of Artists

Krymsky Val 10. M:Park Kultury.
Hours: Tues-Sun 10-20

Located next to the new Tretyakov Gallery, this is one of the most popular museums in Moscow, offering a huge array of regularly updated contemporary art exhibitions. There is also a shop where some of the artists sell their works.

Gorky Museum

6/2 Malaya Nikitskaya Ulitsa. M: Arbatskaya
Hours: 12-7 Wed, Fri, 10- 5 Thurs, Sat, Sun.
Closed last Friday of the month.

This remarkable home, resided in by writer Maxim Gorky from 1931-1936, is a stunning example of art nouveau architecture, highlighted by a cascading marble staircase, stained glass roof and ceramic tiles. After being persuaded by Stalin to return to Russia to live here, Gorky died after being allegedly poisoned by one of Stalin's men.

Detailed information about Russian Museums and Galleries is available at www.museum.ru although currently it is only available in Russian.