What to do and see in Moscow, Central Russia: The Best Science Museums

The Monument to the Conquerors of Space was erected at Prospekt Mira in Moscow. This outstanding city landmark has been jointly designed by architects Michail Barsh and Andrey Kolchin, and sculptor Andrey Faydish-Krandiyevskiy. September 28th, 1967 Soviet government initiates founding of the Museum of Cosmonautics at the foot of the Monument to the Conquerors of Space to commemorate nation's achievements in space exploration. The Museum of Cosmonautics opens its doors to public on April 10th, 1981, 20th Anniversary of the first manned space flight. Museum exposition gives a retrospect on how Soviet space science evolved starting from first man-made satellites subsequently followed by the first manned space flight, first space walks, Moon exploration programs, Solar system exploration programs and international space research programs. Intricate interior design and unusual exposition altogether created a unique individuality of the Museum. However, new times set new standards. 25 years since its first opening the Museum has been closed down for a massive renovation. Now the Museum shows all the newly accumulated information and latest technologies.

The State Darwin Museum was established in 1907 by A.F. Kots as educational museum at the Moscow Higher Women's Courses. It was the first museum of biological evolution in the world. Today the 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; More than 600 000 visitors a year; Organization of scientific conferences and seminars, ecological and family festivals; Extensive publishing and educational activities; Introduction of the latest museum technologies. At the "Intermuseum" festival in 2007 and in 2017 the Darwin Museum was recognized as the best museum of the year and was awarded the Grand Prix.

Vernadsky State Geological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences is the oldest center of geoscience and education in Moscow. The Museum is involved in geological, mining, and ecological researches. Scheduled and special excursions are available. There are lectures, classes, scientific meetings, exhibitions and entertainment in the Museum's program. Gift shop and café are available.

The Orlov Paleontological Museum is a part of the Paleontological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences. The museum exposition occupies five main halls. Connected by crossings, they form a closed sequence, which begins and ends by a tower with a ceramic panel "Tree of Life". It is the biggest art decoration of the museum. All halls of the museum, except for the introductory one, are devoted to particular eras of geologic history of the Earth. The introductory hall is followed by the hall of Precambrian and Early Paleozoic, and then, by turns, halls of the Late Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The exposition of the museum allows to trace all main stages of life evolution on the Earth: from the fossil evidences of vital activity of the earliest bacteria aged as about 1,5 billion years, to the animals of Ice Age, the contemporaries of the ancient man. Every year it is visited by over 250 000 people and about half of them are children of school and preschool age.

Experimentanium Science Museum provides an interactive exhibition covering all basic fields of science. Each area is full of exhibits that can be - and have to be! - interacted with: explore, gather, solve puzzles, twist and shout!