Take a walk through ancient history at State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow

Many say they are floored by the collections showcased at the State Tretyakov Gallery (Tret’iakovskaia Galereia). Trace Russian history as you make your way through this narrative museum filled to the gills with busts, landscapes, portraits, statues, icons and more.

Each city has its most glorious time to visit (for Paris it’s Springtime, for Washington, D.C. it’s cherry blossom season) and for Moscow its shining moment is Moscow City Day, which marks the birth of the Russian capital. You can participate in a number of festivities, including a visit to Tretyakov on September 4 and 5.

Founded in 1856, State Tretyakov was helmed by Pavel Tretiakov, collector of some of the greatest contemporary works by artists in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In 1872 Tretiakov joined forces with his brother, Sergei who at the time collected French and Dutch masterpieces. It was their combination of artwork that made for an extremely successful museum opening and noise in the arts community.

In 1892, the museum was donated to the city of Moscow; to this day the museum lives on with works by talented Russian painters like the infamous Vasilii Perov, Ivan Kramskoi and Ilia Repin. Over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, and graphics have been created by successive generations of talented artists, and then sourced and collected by Tretyakov throughout the centuries. The collection is truly a fascinating walk through ancient history!

Address: 10, Krymsky Val, Moscow, 117049

Phone: +7 495 230 77 88

Website: State Tretyakov Gallery

• daily from 10.00 am – 07.30 pm
• ticket office until 06.30 pm
• last admission 06.30 pm
• the Gallery is closed on Monday