The Russian capital has a lot to offer, including museums, that you can explore for days. It is not a secret, that entrance to museums in Moscow is rather expensive, however, any museum was designed to be open to everyone, without regard to their financial status. So there are some days and even a night a year when everyone can visit most Moscow museums for free.
The Museum Night is an event in which participating most of museums across the country. It is held annually in mid-May, usually at night from Saturday to Sunday.
Another case where everyone can visit Moscow museums for free is Moscow City Days which are traditionally celebrated during the first weekend of September. Over 60 Moscow museums offer free admission, however, many of them have shorter operating hours during these days.
Night of Art is another event when visitors can go to some Moscow museums for free. Various cultural institution of Moscow including museums, libraries, theatres, and exhibition halls will offers their visitors extensive cultural program. It is held annually on first Tuesday of November.
Besides, during New Year’s holidays museums offer free admission to all.
Moscow Museum Week is held on every third week of the month. One museum on one day of the week. On these special days the number of visitors is greater than on other days of the year. So be prepared for queues ecpesially on weekends.
It should be noted, that open museum day is carried out only by the museums that are under control of City Department of Culture. While the museums of the federal level (eg, Tretyakov Gallery) don’t participate in this initiative. However, Tretyakov Gallegy and Pushkin museum of fine arts sometimes offer free admission to all visitors on Night of Art, Museum Night and during the days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow (mid-April).
Please check the Moscow Events page for the exact dates of Night of Art, Museum Night, days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow, Moscow City Days and New Year’s holidays.
Here is the schedule of “Free days 2019”:
April 15-21
May 13-19
June 10-16
July 15-21
August 12-18
September 7-15
October 14-20
November 4, 11-17
December 9-15
Each museum is open on a specific day!
Monday
The exhibition includes arm and ammunition, photographs, documents and personal belongings of people who gave their lives for their country.
Address: 24/3, Bolshaya Cheremushkinskaya st. (Rus: ул. Большая Черемушкинская)
Equipped for people with disabilities
Tuesday
The open-air Navy Museum reflects the stages of creation and formation the Russian Navy. Among the exhibits are the diesel-electric submarine B-396, the ekranoplan “Orlyonok”, and the air-assault cushion craft D-357 “Skat” (“Ray”).
Address: 50-70, Svobodi st. , Severnoye Tushino Park ( ул. Свободы, влад. 50−70, парк «Северное Тушино»).
Museum website (Russian language)
The exhibition is dedicated to the history of the rise, development and fall of the Soviet labor camp system and its political, administrative and economic role.
Address: 9/1, 1st Samotyochniy lane (Rus: 1-й Самотечный пер., д.9, стр.1).
The museum’s exhibitions are dedicated to the social history of 1930- 40, to the lifestyle and activities of the Soviet elite: scientists, writers, journalists and party leaders. The exhibitions recall tragic events of the so-called Stalin’s Repressions when about 8000 inhabitants were repressed and more than 300 were executed.
Address: 2, Serafimovicha st. (Rus: ул. Серафимовича, д.2).
Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) Museum is the only museum in Moscow, dedicated to the history of the oldest Moscow district – Meshchansky. In the atmosphere of the old mansion you can plunge into the cozy Moscow life, learn about the traditions, family values and legends of the Meshchansky district.
Address: 14, Mira Avenue (Rus: пр-т Мира, 14).
Free admission for all visitors!
Equipped for people with disabilities
Museum website (Rus)
Gallery of famuos Russian painter. The gallery incorporates one of the Chekhov’s houses where he lived and worked. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1892-1899) is a great Russian writer.
Address: 29/4, Malaya Dmitrovka str. (Rus: ул. Малая Дмитровка, д.29, стр. 4)
Museum website (Rus)
Museum’s collection currently consists of over 80 thousand prints and negatives, representing all photographic techniques: from the earliest daguerreotypes of the mid-19 century, ferrotypes and ambrotypes to the newest digital technologies.
Address: 16, Ostozhenka st. (Rus: ул. Остоженка, д. 16).
Equipped for people with disabilities
The museum presents works of the greatest Soviet artists and sculptors Vadim Sidur (1924-1986).
Address: 37, Novogireevskaya str. (Rus: Ул. Новогиреевская, д. 37)
It presents the collection of paintings graphics drawings.
Address: 8/2, Tverskaya str, apt 31 (Rus: ул. Тверская, д. 8, корп. 2, кв. 31)
Equipped for people with disabilities
Wednesday
The museum collection includes classical and modern sculptures. Its founder Alexander Bourganov is a gifted contemporary artist, the Full Member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts, Doctor of the History of Art.
Besides, the museum offers free admission on the international museum day and on Museum Night.
Address: 15/9, Bolshoy Afanasyevsky lane (Rus: Большой Афанасьевский переулок, дом 15, стр. 9).
Tsaritsyno is the largest museum-reserve, historical and cultural monument of Moscow which occupies the area of over 1,730 ac (700 hectares). Its heart is the largest palatial complex in Russia – the residence of Catherine the Great. Learn more about Tsaritsyno and how to get there.
Entrance to the park is free of charge
Address: 1, Dolskaya st. (Rus: ул. Дольская, д. 1).
Tsaritsyno website
The museum reflects the history of reed instruments, such as harmonica, their rise in the XVIII-XX centuries. The exhibits were collected by the Professor Alfred Mirek during 50 years. Mirek donated his collection to the city.
Besides, the museum offers free admission on the days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow, on the international museum day, and during public holidays.
Address: 18, 2nd Tverskaya-Yamskaya st. (Rus: ул. 2-я Тверская-Ямская, 18)
Thursday
State Darwin Museum is:
– The largest museum of natural science that occupies 3 buildings with the total area more than 20 000 sq. m;
– Modern exposition illustrating different evolution processes (5 000 sq. m);
– Collections including about 400 000 exhibits;
– More than 50 exhibitions a year in exhibition halls with the total area about 1000 sq. m.
Address: Ulitsa Vavilova, 57
The Kuskovo estate is an example of a typical 18th century Moscow residence. More than 20 unique monuments of architecture have been preserved including an Italian museum, a Dutch palace, a church, etc.
Address: 2, Yunosti st. (Rus: ул. Юности, д. 2).
Disabled people can currently visit: the Palace and the Grotto
The museum introduce visitors to the life and activities of Vladimir Vysotsky. Vladimir Semyonovich Vysotsky (1938 – 1980) was a Soviet singer-songwriter, poet, and actor.
Address: 3, Visotskogo str. (Rus: ул. Высотского, д. 3)
Museum website (Russian language)
Zaryadye Park is a landscape urban park located adjacent to Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on the site of the former Rossiya Hotel.
The Underground museum collects household items, coins, tiles and other artifacts from the 14th – early 18th centuries, discovered during archaeological excavations in the territory of old Moscow.
The Exhibition Hall for temporary exhibitions is located on the first basement floor of the Media Center. The expositions, organized together with leading Russian museums and cultural institutions, are devoted to different regions of Russia, its history and culture.
Address: 6 Varvarka St., building 1
Friday
It is a country residence of Russian Tsars which comprise the architectural monuments of the end XVII century. The main attraction is the forest, which is considered the largest green area of the city. The estate is located on the amazing island that was artificially created by the order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov.
Address: 2/14, Gorodok imeni Baumana. (Rus: Городок имени Баумана, 2/14).
The Lublino estate is the monument of the palace and park art of the 18-19 centuries. The interiors of N. Durasov’s palace show everyday life of the estate, the culture and traditions of Russian nobility.
Address: 1/1, Letnyaya st. (Rus: ул. Летняя, д. 1, корп. 1).
Besides, the museum offers free admission on the days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow, on the international museum day, on Museum Night, and on Night of Art.
Kolomenskoye is a former residence of Moscow Grand Princes and Russian Tsars. The park has a lot to offer to visitors. The most remarkable landmark is the church of the Ascension built in 1532. Since 1994 it is on the list of the World heritage of UNESCO. Another “must see” attraction of the Kolomenskoye park is the Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the great monument of Russian wooden architecture.
Entrance to the park is free of charge
Address: 39, Andropova ave. (Rus: проспект Андропова, д. 39).
Kolomenskoye website
The museum introduces visitors to popular prints of Russian people.
Address: 10/9, Malyi Golovin lane (Rus: Малый Головин переулок, д.10/9)
Equipped for people with disabilities
Museum website (Russian language)
Saturday
The museum is dedicated to the War in Afghanistan.
Address: 12 1st Vladimirskaya Street, Block 1
Museum website (Russian language)
Sunday
The exhibits of the museum complex, with the help of modern technologies, demonstrate the history of space acchievements, based on scientific facts.
Besides, the museum offers free admission on the days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow, on the international museum day, and on the Museum Night.
Address: 111, Mira ave. (Rus: проспект Мира, д. 111)
Equipped for people with disabilities
The museum occupies the small two-storey mansion, where Sergei Korolev lived since 1959 till 1966, and represents more then 11 000 items, including documents, books, photographs, and Korolev’s personal belongins. Sergei Pavlovich Korolev is a the founder of practical cosmonautics, chief designer of space rocket systems.
Address: 28, 1st ostankinskaya st. (Rus: ул. 1-я Останкинская, д.28)
Moscow’s Gorky Park Museum is a combination of an outdoor public space and a history museum.The park’s Main Entrance gate incorporates Russian history and modern technology, such as Oculus Rift, to create an interactive experience.
Whether inside the Main Entrance arch or outside in the open air, the Gorky Park Museum is a visual spectacle. The grounds outside the arch contain fountains, sculptures and landscape art and the arch itself presents an excellent view from above which is not to be missed.
Address: Krymsky Val, 9
The exposition illustrates the history of a country-estate of the Russian nobility from the XV-XX centuries.
Address: 6, Topolevaya alley (Rus: Тополевая аллея, д. 6).
Museum website (Rus)
The gallery houses more than 900 works of Alexander Shilov, who painted portraits of the leaders of the Soviet Union and Russia including Leonid Brezhnev, Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin, etc.
Address: 5, Znamenka st. (Rus: ул. Знаменка, д. 5).
Equipped for people with disabilities
Gallery website (Russian language)
The gallery hosts works of Ilya Glazunov, contemporary Russian artist. Famous works: Russia the Eternal, The 20th Century Mystery, The Ruining of the Temple on Easter Night, illustrations to the works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Address: 13, Volkhonka st. (Rus: ул. Волхонка, д. 13)
The Museum has 7 halls devoted to different periods of the Second World War: first months of the war, fight with Nazis aviation, fighting on near and far approaches, life of the front line places, counter-offensive, way to Victory and Memory Hall.
Address: 3, Michurinsky ave, Olimpiskaja village. (Rus: Мичуринский проспект, Олимпийская деревня, д. 3).
Equipped for people with disabilities
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 – 1837) is the greatest Russian poet who is considered to be the founder of modern Russian literature.
The exposition occupies the whole 2 floors of the old house. The premises of the first floor are used for the exposition “Pushkin and Moscow”. The 2nd floor is occupied by the memorial Pushkin chambers.
Address: 53, Arbat Str. (Rus: ул. Арбат, д. 53).
Museum website (Russian language)
The museum is dedicated to the Russian writer and philosopher, one of the most important representatives of symbolism culture (real name Boris Nikolaevich Bugaev 1880-1934). The museum houses his memorial things, books, autographs and pictures.
Address: 55, Arbat Str. (Rus: ул. Арбат, д. 55).
Museum website (Russian language)
The historical mansion houses permanent exhibitions “Pushkin and his era” and “Pushkin’s Fairy Tales”, exhibition halls, a reading room, concert and conference rooms.
Address: 12/2, Prechistenka Str. (Rus: ул. Пречистенка, 12/2)
Museum website (Russian language)
The museum’s exposition tells about moscow everyday life of Ivan Turgenev, his epoch, literature and family. Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818 –1883) – novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His novel Fathers and Sons (1862) is considered one of the major works of XIX-century fiction.
Address: 37/7, Ostozhenka st. (Rus: ул. Остоженка, д.37/7)
The museum is currently under reconstruction!
Museum website (Russian language)
New Manege is a big exhibition hall where different types of expositions are being held.
Address: Georgievsky lane., 3/3. (Rus: Георгиевский переулок, 3/3).
Equipped for people with disabilities
The exhibits demonstrate the process of the T-34 creation, introduce visitors to the people who designed the legendary tank and whose names were kept secret for many years.
Address: Sholokhovo Village 89A (деревня Шолохово, дом 89А)
Equipped for people with disabilities
The museum is a unique repository of Moscow artistic culture of XVIIIth-XIXth centuries. The exposition includes portraits, painting, graphics, applied art of the period.
Address: 10, Shcetininsky lane. (Rus: Щетининский переулок, д. 10)
The Bulgakov Museum in Moscow is a writer’s house museum which commemorates the life and work of author Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov in an apartment where he lived in Moscow, Russia, and in which he set portions of his novel The Master and Margarita.
Besides, the museum offers free admission on the days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow, on the international museum day, on Museum Night, and on Night of Art.
Address: 10 Bolshaya Sadovaya Street (Rus: Большая Садовая улица, 10)
The complex of buildings were used as warehouses of military department of Russian empire. Nowadays the complex hosts permanent exhibits of Moscow Museum: “Ancient and medieval Moscow” “Moscow of the XVIII-XIX centuries.”, “Moscow. The XXth century”.
Address: 2, Zubovsky blvd. (Rus: Зубовский бульвар, д. 2).
The museum occupies a stone mansion erected in the early 16th century in Varvarka street, where the first English trading and ambassadorial office in Moscow was located.
Address: Varvarka str., 4a (Rus: ул. Варварка, д. 4а).
The collection of treasures from excavations in the historical center and other districts of Moscow are presented in the museum. The Moscow Archeology Museum is located in the underground pavilion at a depth of 7 meters, directly on the site of large-scale archaeological excavations from 1993-1996.
Address: 1a, Manezhnaya sq. (Rus: Манежная площадь, д. 1а).
Equipped for people with disabilities
Lefortovo is the gala Emperor’s residence in Moscow in the XVIII century. Visitors will enjoy the beautiful parklands, the Golovinskiy garden, visit the monument of Peter the Greate and the grotto built by Rastrelli, the great architect of those times.
Besides, the museum offers free admission on the days of Historical and Cultural Heritage of Moscow, on the international museum day, on Museum Night, and on Night of Art.
Address: 3, Krasnokazarmennaya St. (Rus: ул. Красноказарменная, д. 3).
Hi
Which museums participate in free of charge 3rd Sunday?
Do you have some list
The list is in the text of the article
please send what museum its free on july & august 2017
Hi!
We updated the information.
The free museum days in july & august 2017:
– July 16
– August 20
In September some museums will be open free of charge on 17th (3rd Sunday) and during the moscow city days, 9-10th.