Shchusev State Museum of Architecture is a museum of the history of architecture in Moscow. The opening took place in 1964 after the merger of the State Museum of Russian Architecture and the Museum of the USSR Academy of Architecture.
In addition to exhibition activities, the museum is engaged in scientific research and promotes the restoration of architectural monuments. The structure of the museum includes branches: the Melnikov Museum, a refectory chamber of the 17th century, located in the building of the Pharmaceutical order, the exhibition space “Ruin”, as well as scientific departments for storing funds, a library, an archive, restoration workshops, a photo library, a department for popularizing architecture, a development department.
As of 2022, the museum fund contains more than a million exhibits: original drawings, house models, photographs and archival documents.
In view of the fact that in Europe collections of architectural designs, drawings, models and architectural photography, as a rule, are part of museums of fine arts or museums of decorative arts, and individual museums of architecture (for example, in Frankfurt and Vienna) are small, the Shchusev’s museum is considered the largest institution of this profile in the world.
In 2015, the Ministry of Culture financed the creation of a virtual museum exposition. The portal contains archival materials grouped into seven periods: Old Russian architecture (X-XVII centuries), Baroque (XVII-XVIII centuries), Classicism (1760-1830s), Historicism (1840-1910s), Art Nouveau ( 1890s-1910s), avant-garde (1910s-1930s), Soviet architecture (1920s-1980s).
Since 1991, the collection has been located in Talyzin’s house on Vozdvizhenka, a monument of history and architecture – an object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia of federal significance.
The house of A.F. Talyzin is a monument of history and architecture. Object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia of federal significance.
The history of the land plot has been known since the 1620s, when the territory was divided between the Caves Monastery and the nobleman I. Pisemsky. In the middle of the 17th century, the estate of I.M. Miloslavsky was located here.
In 1659, the New Apothecary Yard was located here. In the 1670s, active construction began, led by Gury Varfolomeev. The Refectory Chamber was created, located along Starovagansky Lane.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the diplomat V. L. Dolgoruky became the owner of the building. After the arrest of Dolgoruky, the property passed to the “King of Georgia Vakhtang”. Then a stone house was built (presumably according to the project of P. M. Eropkin).
After retiring, the site on Vozdvizhenka was bought from Prince Georgy Bagration by Privy Councilor Alexander Fedorovich Talyzin.
Presumably, according to the project of M. F. Kazakov, by 1787 a three-story building with two outbuildings had been erected. Its facade is captured in Kazakov’s “Architectural Albums”.
Working hours: Tue 13:00–21:00; Wed 11:00–20:00; Thu 13:00–21:00; Fri-Sun 11:00–20:00
Address: Vozdvizhenka, 5/25с1.
Nearest metro: Arbatskaya (Filyovskaya Line), Arbatskaya (Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya line), Biblioteka imeni Lenina.
Nearest attractions: Arbat street, New Arbat Avenue, Church of Simeon Stolpnik on Povarskaya, Khudozhestvenny cinema, Arseny Morozov’s mansion, Shakhovsky – Krause – Osipovsky’s mansion, Gogol boulevard, Red Square, Tverskaya street, Kremlin.
