This museum is not related to the famous Russian author, but named in his honor. It is Moscow’s center for fine art, showing famous works by Western artists like Picasso, Renoit, Van Gogh, and many others. But there are also some classic works by Russian artists, as well as sculpture, and collected historical objects. The […]

Moscow Cats Theater/Театр Кошек Куклачева Kutuzovksy 25, Moscow Showtimes at 12:00, 2:00, and 4:00pm Tickets range from 300 rubles-1500 rubles Kuklachev.ru This little oddity is a relative unknown, even for many Muscovites. It’s not a human theater about cats; it’s a theater where cats are the performers and the backdrop. Adults recommended it to me, […]

This MMOMA is a group of museums that house a range of contemporary artists and installations. This art is from the entire second half of the 20th century forward. Some employ traditional methods with a modern feel, and there are also exhibits that really push the boundaries of what we consider art. Some gallery space […]

Coming across the graffiti wall at the corner of Stary Arbat and Krivoarbatskaya Lane last summer, I took a few pictures, and didn’t think about it much more than that, except that I was surprised to see such elaborate work in such a public place. So when I visited the same place, and saw that […]

The Moscow Planetarium is an exciting experience for anyone with an interest in science and the stars. It features many exhibits and has separate museums and interactive halls. There you can see physical representations of how light bends, or displays showing Earth’s magnetic field. Their collection of telescopes throughout history is really impressive and well […]

The Bolshoi Circus/Большой Московский Цирк Проспект Вернадского, 7, Москва Ticket offices 10:30-7:30, most shows start at 7pm. Tickets from 300 rubles-4000 rubles www.bolshoicircus.ru I don’t know what I was expecting when I went to the circus, but whatever it was, this was not it. I had heard that Russians give the circus an exalted place […]

Sokolniki Park/Парк Сокольники 107113, Москва, Сокольнический вал ул., 1, стр. 1 Hours: Always open but vendors vary, see site for details Admission is Free http://park.sokolniki.com Sokolniki park is one of Moscow’s beautiful outdoor spaces, and especially fun to visit because it’s so easy to get to (directions follow). It’s a known secret for Muscovites, and […]

Free (small donations encouraged/expected) Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:00-16:00 Twelve Collegia Building, Mendeleevskaya Liniya on Vasilievskiy Island Must call in advance to organize a visit +7 (812) 328-9744 www.eng.spbu.ru/university/culture/museums/mendeleev Dimitri Mendeleev, best known as the creator of the Periodic Table of Elements, is a Russian national hero and one of the foremost thinkers of the 20th century. […]

During an SRAS-arranged walking tour of central St. Petersburg, our guide, Sergei, pointed across the Neva River to the Quay with Sphinxes, a little outpost on the University Embankment near house number 17. The site displays two massive sphinxes that are carved out of pink granite and weigh about 23 tons each. I was so […]