State Historical Museum, Moscow: Photos, Reviews & Location

Imposing neo-Russian building of 1881, displaying prehistoric relics, Romanov dynasty art & more.

At a glance

#104 of 123 Tourist attractions in Moscow #2 of 4 Government offices in Moscow

LocalGuideWorld score: 4.60

0.3 km from the center of Moscow

Rating breakdown

5 ★79%
4 ★12%
3 ★3%
2 ★1%
1 ★3%

Red Square, 1, Moscow, Russia, 109012

shm.ru

+7 495 692-40-19

Photos of State Historical Museum (206)

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State Historical Museum, Moscow – photo 1

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Quick facts

What is the rating of State Historical Museum?: State Historical Museum is rated 4.6 out of 5 based on 2,071 reviews.
How does State Historical Museum rank in Moscow?: State Historical Museum is #104 of 123 Tourist attractions in Moscow by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
Where is State Historical Museum located?: Red Square, 1, Moscow, Russia, 109012 — 0.3 km from the center of Moscow.
How can I contact State Historical Museum?: Phone: +7 495 692-40-19 · Website: shm.ru

Reviews (8)

Axel 2024 Apr 27

The State Historical Museum (Государственный исторический музей) in Moscow offers a captivating journey through Russia's rich history. Housed in a striking red-brick building, its vast collection of artifacts and exhibits provide fascinating insights into the country's cultural heritage. It's a must-visit destination for anyone seeking to understand Russia's past and present.

CK Cheong 2024 Jan 04

Designed in 1874 by Vladimir Shervud and built in 19th century by order of Peter the Great in the Moscow Baroque style. The exhibits amounting to millions ranged from the millennia and Eurasian history, Russian history and culture and a rich and important manuscript collection

Barış Deniz Keser 2023 Nov 19

Standing majestically on Red Square in Moscow, the State Historical Museum is a treasure trove of Russian history and culture, a captivating journey through the nation's rich and diverse heritage. Its vast collection, encompassing millions of artifacts, spans the ages, from the earliest settlements of prehistoric tribes to the grandeur of the Romanov dynasty.

Within its imposing red brick walls, the State Historical Museum unveils Russia's story in a tapestry of exhibits, each one a portal into a different era. Visitors wander through halls filled with archaeological treasures, marveling at ancient tools, weapons, and ornaments that whisper tales of civilizations long past.

Jack Lawson 2020 Feb 10

Very cool museum! Certainly get the audio guide if you aren’t fluent in Russian. The rooms all have themes and it would have been better knowing that early on.

Some of the doors you go through are not well marked that they are indeed okay to go through. And only about half of the descriptors are written in English and Russian.

The displays are beautiful. And well planned out. Wonderful museum! I went in the morning and besides a few other guests was mostly alone. Although, on the weekends there seems to be a line down the block! So be early as to skip any lines.

Tyler Wrage 2019 Aug 02

One of the coolest museums I've ever visited. From several millions of years ago all the way through about 1910, this museum has everything you'd ever want to see about Russian history, pre-Bolshevik. Each of the 40 rooms takes you to a different time, region, and setting, laying out amazing relics from each time and place. I spent about 5 hours here, and had to go quickly. Also in the building is Stalins Rolls Royce, be sure to check that out as well. The only thing I'd like to see is English descriptions of the items, as almost all of it is in Russian (which is understandable!). A must see in the Red Square area, you can easily spend a day here if you're interested in history.

Shawn 2019 May 26

This building is one of the most prominent building when entering red square. It is the state historical museum with many history. The building is amazing from afar and is definitely one of the must take photo spot in Moscow.

I highly recommend walking around Moscow and taking your time to enjoy the scenic view!

Alexander Potapov 2018 Dec 11

The museum gives 100 percent great experience to every visitor. Your age, gender, social group, educational level are not significant in that everyone receives unique and peculiar emotions inside, so you just should buy the ticket and enjoy history itself. There are always several independent exhibitions; therefore, the choice is huge.

BradJill 2018 Jul 31

The State Historical Museum is the beautiful red-brick building facing St. Basil's Cathedral from the northeast end of the Red Square in Moscow. Opening Hours 10-6pm daily with extended hours to 9pm (Friday and Saturday).

Constructed in 1883 in Russian Revival Style, this is one of the most attractive buildings on the Red Square. The deep red colour of the building complements the nearby Kremlin and helps give support to the name of this square. You can enjoy building architecture from all sides. It is impressive from within the Red Square and on the opposite Manezhnaya Square as well.

In addition to simply viewing this attractive historical building, a visit inside to the see the History Museum (400 RUB) is worth a couple hours of time as well. Here you will see several floors of halls and gallery rooms displaying historical items and artefacts from prehistoric to present times. There is greater emphasis on recent centuries and the expansion of the Russian State.

Rooms are cover three floors and museum items are spaced out and well presented in a chronological manner, making it easy to make your way through the collection. Unfortunately, most item displays are in Russian only so it is challenging to know exactly what you are looking at much of the time. Perhaps in time they will update information displays to include English.

Overall, we enjoyed our time at the State Historical Museum and considered it worth the two hours we spent here. There are some interesting items on display and even with many displays being Russian only, you can get a decent feel for early and recent Russian history during your visit. Obviously, viewing the exterior architecture of the building is something everyone will enjoy, regardless if you intend to spend time within the museum or not.