Published on: 2026-08-26
Source: Moscow Government – Правительства Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Throughout its history, Moscow has experienced many events: fires, wars, epidemics, and periods of turmoil. But each time, the city was reborn and became stronger. You can learn about its past and present in detail at the capital’s museums.
History in the fates of residents and artifacts
Museum of Moscow — one of the oldest in the capital. It was founded in 1896. Today, the museum’s collection includes thousands of exhibits, including unique archaeological finds, documents, photographs, everyday life items, and personal archives of well-known families, which allow seeing Moscow through the lives of its residents. The museum association includes several branches located in different districts of the city. Exhibitions and themed tours are held to provide a deep immersion into the past and present of the capital.
Large-scale exhibition “The History of Moscow” tells about the life and everyday life of city residents in different eras, about architecture, culture, and the development of the city. The history of the capital is presented from the times of the first Dyakov settlements on the banks of the Moskva River in the first millennium BC up to the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. The exhibition includes 2,200 artifacts and works of art: archaeological finds, paintings, graphics, photographs, rare books, household items, and decorative arts. Visitors will see the shroud from the burial of Ivan the Terrible’s eldest son, jewelry found in the territory of the first Dyakov settlements, and a treasure hidden in a chess bishop figure. The room of the Petrine era features elements of architectural decoration from the famous Sukharev Tower, where the museum was located until its demolition in 1934.
At the exhibition “A Century in Slogans and Colors. From the History of the Moscow Poster” You can see about 160 posters from the 19th–20th centuries, reflecting the image of Moscow during the years of revolutions, world wars, the post-war decade, the thaw, and perestroika. Some of the works were created by Vladimir Mayakovsky, Kazimir Malevich, Alexander Rodchenko, Kukryniksy, and other masters.
Overview tours are held at the Moscow Archaeology Museum main exhibition. Visitors will be presented with the history of archaeological excavations on Manezhnaya Square and told about the creation of the museum itself. The program includes viewing the preserved fragments of the Resurrection Bridge over the Neglinnaya River from the 17th–18th centuries and a demonstration of unique finds discovered in the historical city center.
The Lefortovo History Museum invites you to a tour of the exhibition “Wonders and Curiosities of Peter’s Moscow: Pricier Than a Stone Bridge”.
The stone bridge, built between 1687 and 1692, was considered a genuine marvel alongside the Ivan the Great Bell Tower and the Sukharev Tower. The bridge played an important role in the city’s life: every year, a religious procession passed over it from the Assumption Cathedral to the Donskoy Monastery. In 1696, Peter I crossed the bridge during the celebration of the capture of Azov. The entrance to the bridge was decorated with triumphal gates bearing the inscription “I came, I saw, I conquered,” pyramids wrapped with green branches, and canvases depicting battle scenes.
Tour of the Sanduny Baths will introduce one of the most famous public complexes in the capital. Since its opening in 1808, it has been considered the best in Moscow, impressing contemporaries with its comfort, engineering solutions, and the luxury of its interiors. The tour guide will talk about bathing traditions, famous visitors, and films shot in the interiors of the Sanduny Baths. Guests will see the Gothic and Turkish halls, as well as the famous Pompeian hall with a pool, learn about the architectural features of the complex, the location of the laundry and its own power station, the “numbered” baths for special clients, fashionable shops, luxury apartments, and a restaurant.
A story about Vvedenskoye Cemetery will reveal the history of the most interesting necropolis in Moscow. It is a true open-air sculpture museum. Visitors will see images of unique tombstones — from marble angels and majestic crypts to unusual monuments adorned with shackles or an aircraft propeller — and learn about the famous people buried here.
Memory of the heroes
State Museum of the Defense of Moscow, founded in 1979, commemorates the defenders of the city and the Battle of Moscow — the most significant battle of the Great Patriotic War. Visitors learn about the people’s militia, air defense, and the daily life of Muscovites in 1941–1942. The exhibition creates an immersive effect, allowing visitors to walk the path of those who took part in these events and understand how the capital was defended. The museum, consisting of several venues, engages in educational work, organizes themed tours, lectures, and off-site programs at sites of military glory in the Moscow region.
Interactive program “Call sign ‘Star'” at the Museum of the Defense of Moscow is dedicated to the importance of communications during the Great Patriotic War and to the devices used in the Red Army. Participants will be able to work with a military telephone set and go on air using an army radio station.
At the lecture “Heroes of the Battle of Moscow. The Lyudinovo Underground” will tell about one of the underground anti-fascist groups that operated in the occupied territories, and at the master class “Posters of the Great Patriotic War” you can dive into the history of posters and create your own design with a slogan.
A documentary film will also be shown here “Stop the ‘Typhoon’!”. The film tells about the first days of the capital’s defense, including the Vyazma operation, the formation of people’s militia divisions, and the defense of the Moscow sky. The film is based on newsreel footage, museum recordings, expert commentary, and unique testimonies of participants in the Battle of Moscow, including the memoirs of the grandson of Marshal Budyonny, who commanded the front.
Museum of Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia introduces the feats and selflessness of our compatriots. The exhibition includes photographs, archival documents, personal belongings, and examples of equipment and gear donated to the museum by the heroes, their families, and comrades-in-arms.
Participants of the interactive program “Profession — Hero” They will learn about the professions of a military intelligence officer, firefighter, submariner, special forces soldier, and paratrooper, and will also have the opportunity to try themselves in each of these roles.
History of Moscow and its mayors
The Moscow City Hall building on Tverskaya Street has started offering tours. The house was built in the 18th century by architect Matvey Kazakov for the city governor Zakhar Chernyshyov. Until 1917, it served as the residence of the Moscow general-governors, until 1993 it housed the Moscow City Council, and now Government of Moscow operates there.
Tour participants “The History of Moscow and Its Mayors Through the Centuries” With the help of modern technologies, they will trace the history of Moscow over nine centuries and learn about the contributions of its outstanding leaders to the city’s development, get acquainted with historical artifacts, see traces of reconstructions from different eras, fragments of an old heating system, and find out how the building was moved in 1939.
You can purchase tickets to capital city museums without markups or commissions through the “Mosbilet” service.
“Mosbilet” — the official service on the mos.ru portal, through which you can purchase tickets to theaters, museums, concert halls, and other institutions subordinate to the Moscow Department of Culture, without commissions or markups. The service page features announcements of the most anticipated events, season premieres, events within city festivals, exhibitions, performances, and concerts that will take place in the coming weekend.
You can buy a ticket directly through the service. For events that require personal data to purchase a ticket, entering the surname, first name, patronymic, and visitor’s details is not necessary: if the user has a standard or full account, it is sufficient to leave the default value — Mos ID — in the document selection field. Mandatory fields must be filled in manually if the account is simplified. When purchasing tickets for young guests via the service, all data must be provided only by the accompanying adult. For children under 14 years old, only the surname, first name, patronymic, and date of birth can be indicated; showing the child’s document when attending cultural events is not required.
In addition, authorized users will be able to open QR codes of tickets in the mobile applications “My Moscow”, “My id”, and “Moscow Public Services”.
Stay promptly informed about the main news on the official channels of the city of Moscow in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.