State Historical Museum

Follow the roofline from the square. Several of the museum’s towers carry golden birds.

Red towers of the State Historical Museum on Red Square

Getting there

Resurrection Gate › Gate arch › Red Square › Museum façade

When the passage is open, walk under the arch. At the start of Nikolskaya turn right onto Red Square. Walk a few dozen paces and look back at the long red façade. During closures follow signs to an open entrance or skip this stop.

Nikolskaya starts on the opposite side of the gate from the museum. Its pedestrian section makes a pleasant detour before returning to the façade.

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History

The museum was conceived in 1872 and its building chosen by competition. Vladimir Sherwood and Anatoly Semyonov designed a red palace whose towers would converse with the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s. It opened in 1883. The medieval-looking walls were purpose-built for museum collections. Inside, the decoration of each gallery helped visitors enter the period about to unfold in its exhibits.

Sources

55.75496, 37.61845

© Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

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