The Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow occupies the grounds of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, on the bank of the Yauza River a short walk from Rimskaya Metro. Founded in 1357, the monastery is where the icon painter Andrey Rublev worked and died, and it now holds the Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art, which displays icons, religious sculpture, books and manuscripts.
It is a calm complex of old white buildings, quite unlike the big central museums. This guide explains the opening hours as published by the museum, the Wednesday closing, what the exposition shows and what it does not, why the famous Trinity icon is not here, which building is the oldest stone church in Moscow and how the monastery grounds fit into a walk around the Taganka area.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Центральный музей древнерусской культуры и искусства имени Андрея Рублёва |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1960 |
| Address | Andronyevskaya Square 10, Moscow (the grounds of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery) |
| District | Tagansky |
| Metro | Rimskaya (Line 10, lime, listed by the museum as one of three nearest stations; about 8 to 10 minutes on foot (estimate)) Ploshchad Ilyicha (Line 8A, yellow, listed by the museum as one of three nearest stations; about 8 to 10 minutes on foot (estimate)) Chkalovskaya (Line 10, lime, listed by the museum as one of three nearest stations) |
| Opening hours | According to the official English page, Monday, Tuesday and Friday 11:00 to 19:00, Thursday 13:00 to 21:00, Sunday 11:00 to 18:00 and closed on Wednesday, with the ticket office closing 45 minutes before the museum; on Saturday the main exposition runs 11:00 to 19:00 and the exhibitions 13:00 to 21:00 (as of October 2026 – check the official site). |
| Admission | The official English page lists a moderate price (₽₽) for the exposition, a budget price (₽) for children aged 7 to 17 and free entry for children under 6; check the official site for current prices and other categories. |
| Best time to visit | Weekday afternoons are the quietest, and Saturdays and the openings of exhibitions are busier. The museum is closed on Wednesday, and open until 21:00 on Thursday and, for exhibitions, on Saturday. It works in all seasons, and the grounds are most pleasant in late spring and autumn; check the schedule on the official site. |
| Recommended duration | About 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Website | rublev-museum.ru/english |
| Last updated | October 9, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The main exposition of Old Russian art | Included in the standard ticket | The permanent display in the monastery buildings with icons, sculpture and books. |
| The Saviour Cathedral and the monastery grounds | Included in the standard ticket | The oldest building in the complex; interior access varies, so check on the day. |
| Temporary exhibitions | Separate ticket or institution | Run on their own hours, later on Saturday and Thursday; check whether they need a separate ticket. |
| Guided tours | Separate ticket or institution | Booked in advance with the museum for groups; the group tour price is listed on the official page. |
| Rublev's Trinity icon | Outside / not part of it | Kept in the Tretyakov Gallery, not in this museum. |
| The Museum of Russian Icons | Outside / not part of it | A different museum in Moscow, sometimes confused with this one. |
Why Visit Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow?
The museum is built around Andrey Rublev, the most famous Russian icon painter, who worked on the frescoes of the Saviour Cathedral at the monastery and died there between 1427 and 1430. The Saviour Cathedral, built in the 1420s, is described as the oldest surviving stone building in Moscow, and you can see it within the grounds.
The museum’s collection of about 13,000 items includes icons, religious wooden sculpture, mosaics, books and manuscripts, and it shows implements and stages of making manuscripts, since the monastery had its own scriptorium. The setting is peaceful and green, close to the center but outside the usual routes.
How Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow Is Laid Out
The museum is spread across the historic buildings of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, inside a walled precinct on Andronyevskaya Square. The Saviour Cathedral of the 1420s is the oldest building and the heart of the complex, and other monastery buildings, such as the Church of the Archangel Michael, hold exhibitions. The grounds also include the monastery walls and green spaces by the Yauza.
The main exposition of Old Russian art and the temporary exhibitions can have different hours, as the Saturday schedule shows, with exhibitions running later. Rublev is said to have been buried in the grounds, according to a guide. Check the official site for which buildings are open on the day, and start with the main exposition before walking around the grounds.
Highlights of Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
The Saviour Cathedral of the 1420s
The Cathedral of the Saviour was built in the 1420s and is described as the oldest surviving stone building in Moscow. Andrey Rublev painted its frescoes, his last work according to an encyclopedic source, though little remains of them today. The cathedral is the heart of the monastery. Check whether the interior is open on the day, since access to historic buildings varies.
Tip: Walk around the cathedral outside first, since the white stone and the simple shape are part of the appeal.
The icon collection
The museum displays ancient Russian icons, religious wooden sculpture, mosaics and applied art, with about 13,000 items in its collection. The icons show how painters worked from the Middle Ages onward and are the museum's main attraction. Labels are mostly in Russian, so a translation app helps. Allow time to look at the details of color and gesture.
Tip: Use a translation app on the labels, since English text is limited.
Andrey Rublev and the Trinity icon
The museum is named after Andrey Rublev, who worked on the monastery and died here, but his best-known icon, the Trinity, is kept in the Tretyakov Gallery and is not on show here. The museum shows related art and the story of his work and period. Check the exhibition guide to see which works connected with Rublev are on show.
Tip: See the Trinity at the Tretyakov Gallery on a separate visit, since it is not at this museum.
The scriptorium displays
The monastery had its own scriptorium, a center of book production, and the museum shows tools and the stages of making a book, from lettering to binding. It is a small display that explains how manuscripts were made. Check whether it is on view on the day, since displays are rearranged.
Tip: Allow time for the book-making display, since it is easy to pass by.
The grounds and the Yauza riverbank
The precinct has old walls, trees and quiet paths, and the monastery stands near the Yauza River, giving a calm contrast to the city. It was closed after the revolution and used briefly as a prison, and in 1947 it was declared a national monument, according to encyclopedic sources. A walk takes 20 to 30 minutes. Check whether the grounds are open when the museum is closed.
Tip: Walk around the walls in good weather after you leave the exposition.
Temporary exhibitions
The museum runs temporary exhibitions that follow their own hours: on Saturday the exhibitions run from 13:00 to 21:00 while the main exposition closes at 19:00, according to the official page. Check the current program on the official site, since it changes, and note that exhibitions may have separate tickets.
Tip: Check the Saturday schedule if you want to see both the exposition and an exhibition.
Atmosphere
The monastery is quiet and spacious: white walls, a few domes, old trees and low evening light on the stones, with the sound of traffic reduced to a murmur. Visitors are mostly Muscovites, students and people with an interest in icons, moving slowly through the halls.
The museum is calm on weekday afternoons and busier on Saturdays and during popular exhibitions. The halls are dimly lit to protect the paintings, and the icons glow against dark walls. Outside, the grounds are green in summer and white in winter, and the place feels more like a retreat than an attraction.
History of Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
The Spaso-Andronikov Monastery was founded in 1357 by Metropolitan Alexius, reportedly in gratitude for his rescue in a storm on a journey to Constantinople. It became a center of brick building, icon and fresco painting and of manuscripts, and the monk Maximus the Greek worked there.
Andrey Rublev, the best-known Russian icon painter, worked at the monastery and painted the frescoes of the Saviour Cathedral, built in the 1420s. He died at the monastery between 1427 and 1430, according to sources, and is said to have been buried in the grounds. The monastery was closed after the revolution in 1918 and briefly used as a prison.
In 1947 the monastery was declared a national monument. Its buildings were restored in 1959 to 1960, and the Andrey Rublev Museum was established in 1960; since 1985 it has been the Andrey Rublev Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art. Its collection now holds about 13,000 items. Dates and details should be checked against the museum’s official site, and this history is shorter than requested because few facts could be verified.
Tickets and Booking for Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
| Ticket | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Exposition ticket | a moderate price (₽₽); check the current price | Entry to the main exposition of Old Russian art. |
| Child ticket (7 to 17) | a budget price (₽); check the current price | Entry for children aged 7 to 17. |
| Children under 6 | Free | Free entry for children under 6. |
| Guided tour | a premium price (₽₽₽₽) per group; check the current price | A guided tour by arrangement with the museum's tour office. |
Tickets. Tickets are sold at the museum’s ticket office, which closes 45 minutes before the museum, according to the official English page; whether online sales are available was not verified. Tours are booked in advance with the museum’s tour office. Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ, and photography may need a paid permit according to an older review, so check the official site rublev-museum.ru for all categories.
Payment. Cash in rubles is the safe option. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and your country’s sanctions rules may restrict some payment services, so check this yourself.
Plan and Book
Suggested itineraries Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
1.5 to 2 hours
Walk from Rimskaya or Ploshchad Ilyicha Metro to Andronyevskaya Square, see the main exposition, look at the Saviour Cathedral from outside and walk the grounds before leaving.
Half day in Taganka
Visit the museum after lunch, then walk toward Taganka and Krutitskoye Podvorye, following the Taganka and Krutitskoye Podvorye Walking Itinerary.
Icons day
See the Rublev Museum in the morning and the Tretyakov Gallery in the afternoon for the Trinity icon, following the Zamoskvorechye and Tretyakov Gallery Walking Itinerary.
How to Get to Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Take the Metro to Rimskaya (Line 10, lime) or Ploshchad Ilyicha (Line 8A, yellow), the two stations joined by a transfer, or to Chkalovskaya; the museum lists all three as the nearest and the walk is about 8 to 10 minutes. The museum is at Andronyevskaya Square 10.
- On foot: the museum is also a walk from Taganka and from the Yauza embankment.
- By taxi: ask for Andronyevskaya Square 10, the Rublev Museum.
- Orientation: look for the white walls of the monastery.
Accessibility
The museum is in historic monastery buildings with steps and uneven ground in the grounds, and accessibility facilities were not verified on the official site, so check rublev-museum.ru or call the museum before you go.
Food Nearby
The streets around Taganka and the area near Rimskaya Metro have cafes and restaurants, and the exact venues near the museum were not verified. See the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary for ideas.
What to Bring
Bring a translation app for the Russian labels, cash in rubles and modest clothing, since the grounds are a historic monastery.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
The Saviour Cathedral
A small white-stone cathedral of the 1420s in the monastery grounds, set against trees and sky.
Best time: Late afternoon, when the stone is warm.
The monastery walls and gate
Old white walls and a gate on Andronyevskaya Square, a good frame for the entrance.
Best time: Morning light.
The grounds in autumn
Paths under trees with white monastery buildings behind in golden leaves.
Best time: Autumn, in the afternoon.
The Yauza embankment
The river beside the monastery with the walls rising behind the trees.
Best time: Early evening for soft light.
Photography Rules
An older review says photography needs a paid permit, so ask at the ticket office. Flash and tripods are generally not allowed in the halls, and drones must not be flown over the monastery.
Family Suitability
Suitable for school-age children with an interest in history and icons, and children under 6 enter free; the museum is calm, though labels are in Russian. The grounds have steps and uneven paths, so strollers can be awkward. Keep the visit short with young children.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Do not plan to visit on Wednesday, since the museum and its exhibitions are closed.
- Do not expect to see the Trinity icon, since it is at the Tretyakov Gallery.
- Check the Saturday schedule, since the exhibitions open later than the main exposition.
- Arrive at least 45 minutes before closing, since the ticket office closes then.
- Combine the visit with Taganka and Krutitskoye Podvorye, since both are close.
- Dress modestly, since the grounds are a historic monastery.
Explore Nearby Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Sights near Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Bunker-42 Moscowabout 1.5 km away (~25 min walk) · typical visit: 1.5–2.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Museum of Russian Icons Moscowabout 1.6 km away (~26 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building Moscowabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk) · typical visit: About 30 minutes to 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Bauman Garden Moscowabout 2.1 km away · typical visit: About 1 to 1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Zaryadye Concert Hall Moscowabout 2.5 km away · typical visit: About 2.5 to 3 hours for a concertMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Transport Museumabout 2.5 km away · typical visit: About 2 to 3 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Rimskaya Metro Stationabout 850 m away (~13 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ploshchad Ilyicha Metro Stationabout 850 m away (~14 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chkalovskaya Metro Stationabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Igor Butman Jazz Clubabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Philadelphia Hotel Moscowabout 2.0 km away (~32 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Guten Duck Moscow Hostelabout 2.2 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Swissotel Krasnye Holmy Moscowabout 2.4 km awayMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Kursky Railway Terminalabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Andrey Rublev Museum Moscow
Is the Trinity icon in this museum?
No. Rublev's Trinity is in the Tretyakov Gallery; see the Zamoskvorechye and Tretyakov Gallery Walking Itinerary.
Which Metro station is closest?
Rimskaya or Ploshchad Ilyicha, about 8 to 10 minutes on foot, or Chkalovskaya.
Is the museum open every day?
No. It is closed on Wednesday, according to the official page.
How old is the Saviour Cathedral?
It was built in the 1420s and is described as the oldest surviving stone building in Moscow.
Is the museum in a monastery?
Yes, in the grounds of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, founded in 1357.
Are children charged?
Children under 6 are free and children aged 7 to 17 pay a small fee, according to the official page.
Do I need a guide?
No, but guided tours can be booked in advance with the museum.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so carry cash in rubles; see the booking section for sanctions rules.
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Last updated: October 9, 2026.
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