Soviet A list of the more interesting museums in Moscow

[JimZ]

Erm okay! This may be my 5th or 6th time going to Russia where I have previously been to Moscow and St. Pete. But as I usually stay outside the centre in a village (very close to Padolsk ), and as I am more often than not there in Winter when the food is heavy and the snows are piled so high that traffic is at a near standstill and getting into Moscow sometimes takes 4 hours, I have of course missed out on some of the best Moscow museums.

So for you guys who have been there and lived in a more central part of the region (where temperatures are -15 as opposed to -30!!) and have, of course had better access to museums than yours truly, particularly (but not restricted to) those connected to the Great Patriotic War and to our area of phaleristics (and I know.... I KNOW that from the photos that have already been posted on GMIC .... SOME OF YOU HAVE REALLY BEEN AROUND! ), I kindly ask you.... no I implore you ..... to oblige me with a shortlist of the BETTER museums that are an ABSOLUTE must see.

This especially coming in the wake of the notion that taking anything out of the country is....no longer a notion.... and the next best thing to hunting stuff that can be touched and felt and smelled is of course, drooling after what has been cased in glass and locked behing austere looking doors!

Thanks!

Jim

(Of course trusting my luck many of these may be closed around that period - I have for example visited Venice three times in past each time hoping to see the museum of contemporary art right next to the also very highly recommended Marco Polo museum and as sod would have it, this has been closed for different reasons each of the three times I have visited!)

Edited November 24, 2007 by JimZ

[Wild Card]

Hi JimZ,

If you can get to them, I would recommend the Tank Museum in Kubinka (http://www.tankmuseum.ru), which has to have the largest display of tanks, of all nations, anywhere and the Air Force Museum in Monino (http://www.moninoaviation.com) which is equally impressive. Both are outside of the center city; but the main displays at Monino are outdoors, so dress warmly.

In closing, I cannot highly enough recommend a visit to Stalingrad sometime. Have a great trip and

Best wishes,

Wild Card

[order_of_victory]

I would recomend the Central Museum of the Armed Forces - But one tip take a Taxi and dont use the Metro it drops you miles away

I would also recomend the the old Museum of the Revolution (I know its not called that any more but cant remeber the new name) and that is on Tverskaya Ulitsa, which has some great shops

Order of Victory

[Bryan]

There was a thread like this made on the other forum by Christophe.

http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/soviet-...ums-moscow.html

* Central Armed Forces Museum

Ulitsa Sovetskoy Armii 2, Moscow

Metro: Novoslobodskaya or Tsvetnoy Boulevard

Tel: (095) 281-4877 or (095) 281-1880

Open: Wed to Sun 10am - 5pm, closed Mo and Tue.

* Armoury Museum - In the Kremlin.

* Almazniy Fund (Diamond Fund) - In the Kremlin.

* State Historical Museum - Former GIM (Gosudarstvenniy Istoricheskiy Musey).

Krasnaya Ploshchad 1/2 (1/2 Red Square), Moscow 103012.

Metro: Ploshchad Revolutsy or Okhotny Ryad

Tel: (095) 292-3731

Open: Mo, Wed to Sun 11am - 7 pm, closed first Mo of the month.

* Museum of Contemporary Soviet History - Former Central Museum of the October Revolution..

Tverskaya Ulitsa, Moscow 123376

Metro: Tverskaya or Puskinskaya

* Krasnaya Presnya - Museum of the Revolution

Bolshoy Predmechensky Pereulok 4, Moscow 123376

Metro: Krasnopresnenskaya

Tel: (095) 252-3053

Open: Sat to Thu 10am - 6pm, closed Fri and the last Thu of the month.

* Museum of the Security Service - .KGB Museum.

21 Tverskaya Ulitsa, Moscow

Metro: Tverskaya

Tel: (095) 299-6724

Open: Mo to Sat 10am - 6pm, Sun 10am - 5pm

* Museum of Border Forces - (Selective entrance).

* Victory Museum - Park Pobedi.

* Borodino Panorama Museum

Kutuzovsky Prospect 38, Moscow 121170

Metro: Kutuzovskaya

Tel: (095) 148-1967 or (095) 148-9489

Open: Sat to Thu 10am - 6pm, closed Fri and the last Thu of the month

* Lenin's Mausoleum

Krasnaya Ploshad, Moscow.

Metro: Ploshad Revolutsii or Teatralnay or Okhotny Ryad

Tel: (095) 923-5527

Open: Tue to Thu, Sat and Sun 10am - 1pm, closed Mon and Fri

Note: cameras are forbidden (metal detector).

* Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

Prospekt Mira 111, Moscow 129515

Metro: VDNKh

Tel: (095) 283-7914 or (095) 283-1827

Open: Tue to Sun 10am - 7pm, closed Mo

* Zhukov Museum - In General Staff HQ.

* Monino Air Force Museum - ...

* Khodinka Air Force Museum - ...

* Kubinka Armour Museum - ...

* Museum of Military Uniforms - ...

* 'Star City' - ...

[Ed_Haynes]

Do not NOT NOT miss:

1- Central Armed Forces Museum

2- Museum of Contemporary Soviet History - Former Central Museum of the October Revolution (stuff from the deserted and sad Lenin Museum)

In that order.

Museum of the Great Patriotic War is worth visiting for the ambience and architecture, less for the medals (mainly fake).

And, of course, Red Square. Just to be there. Have a vodka across Red Square from Lenin's Tomb and ponder how things have changed.

[Christophe]

Ed,

I can only agree!!! And I will have a shot of vodka there (again) as soon as next Thursday!!!

Cheers.

Ch.

[JimZ]

Wow guys!

Thanks! There is already enough to see for the next two trips here

It is indeed funny how I've been to Moscow so many times and other than the Kremlin and the Bolshoi I have not really indulged in my passion for militaria and phaleristics (well ahem ahem! Like I said one avenue of the hobby has now been closed by russian authorities!) Living outside of Moscow does not allow the best access to museums but apart from a 3 day skiing breakthis time I'll be sure to make the time for at least some of those museums! Those phone numbers are also a blessing as I can call in to make sure they are open before trekking around Moscow. Last Xmas my wife dragged me for a 10 Km walk in sub zero temperatures.... just for the fun of walking around! Brrr!

And I was almost tempted to knock on the doors of Padolsk while I am there. Although of course, blatantly saying that I am a "researcher" (collector is a no no!) and would like to look up some "random" serial numbers might not be the best way to go about it. I hear Russian jails are not the friendliest place.

Thanks alot guys! If there are more keep them coming.... if not for only me, also for other interested members.

Jim.