Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow: Buildings, Tickets, Art

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow is the city’s main museum of European art, in a neoclassical building on Volkhonka Street. Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow tickets are sold per building, because the collection is split between the Main Building and the Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art next door.

Visitors often expect a link with the poet Pushkin, but the name dates only from 1937. What you find inside are casts of ancient and Renaissance sculpture, Old Masters, and one of the best collections of French Impressionists in the world. A combined ticket covers both buildings for one day.

Quick Facts

Russian name	Государственный музей изобразительных искусств имени А. С. Пушкина
Built / opened	1912
Architect(s)	Roman Klein
Address	Ulitsa Volkhonka 12, Moscow, Russia OpenStreetMap · Google Maps
District	Khamovniki
Metro	Kropotkinskaya (Line 1 (Sokolnicheskaya, red), about 3–4 min walk along Volkhonka) Borovitskaya (Line 9 (Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya, gray), about 8 min walk)
Opening hours	Open Tuesday and Wednesday 11:00–20:00, Thursday and Friday 11:00–21:00, Saturday 10:00–21:00 and Sunday 10:00–20:00. Closed on Mondays. Sources differ slightly on the exact hours, and entry is by timed ticket at half-hour intervals (as of October 2026 – check the official site, pushkinmuseum.art).
Admission	Tickets are sold per building: the Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art is moderately priced (₽₽), and the Main Building starts at a moderate price level (₽₽). A combined ticket is upscale (₽₽₽) on weekdays and slightly more expensive (₽₽₽) at weekends and holidays. Children aged 6 and under are free.
Best time to visit	Weekday afternoons and the late evenings on days with extended hours are the calmer times. The museum is closed on Mondays, and timed tickets help limit crowds. It is indoors and works in any season, so it suits cold or wet days. December is also known for the December Nights festival of music and art.
Recommended duration	2–3 hours per building
Website	pushkinmuseum.art
Last updated	October 6, 2026

What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow?

Part	Status	Notes
Main Building, Volkhonka 12	Included in the standard ticket	Covered by the Main Building ticket or by the combined ticket.
Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art	Separate ticket or institution	A different building at Volkhonka 14 with its own ticket, also covered by the combined ticket.
Combined ticket	Included in the standard ticket	Covers the Main Building and the Gallery for one day.
Ivan Tsvetaev Educational Art Museum	Separate ticket or institution	A separate building where entry is free for all visitors.
Sviatoslav Richter Memorial Apartment	Separate ticket or institution	A separate building with its own ticket.
Temporary exhibitions	Separate ticket or institution	Can need a separate ticket; check the official site.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Moscow	Outside / not part of it	A church across the street with free entry and its own hours.
Moscow Kremlin	Outside / not part of it	A separate museum with its own entrances and tickets, about 10 minutes away on foot*.

Why Visit Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow?

The museum shows European art in Moscow from antiquity to the 20th century in two buildings that are a few steps apart. The Main Building has casts of Greek and Roman works, Old Masters and Byzantine icons, and the Egyptian collection that was part of it from the opening in 1912.

The Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art, opened in 2006, has 26 rooms with works by Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Kandinsky and Chagall.

It is also near the Kremlin and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, so it fits into a day in central Moscow, and its late opening hours on some days give an evening option.

How Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow Is Laid Out

The museum is a small group of buildings on Volkhonka Street, a few steps from each other.

The Main Building, at Volkhonka 12, is the columned neoclassical building by Roman Klein. It holds the museum’s collection of art up to the 19th century, with casts of ancient and Renaissance works on the first floor.

The Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art, at Volkhonka 14, is in the former left wing of the Golitsyn residence, with 26 rooms. It is a separate building with its own entrance and ticket.

The Ivan Tsvetaev Educational Art Museum and the Sviatoslav Richter Memorial Apartment are other buildings, and the Educational Museum is free.

If you have time for one building, choose the Gallery for Impressionists and the Main Building for earlier art. A combined ticket covers both on the same day.

Highlights of Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

The Main Building facade

The columned neoclassical building was designed by Roman Klein, with construction beginning in 1898 and the museum opening in 1912 as the Alexander III Museum of Fine Arts. It was renamed after the poet Pushkin in 1937 for the centenary of his death.

The facade faces Volkhonka Street, across from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, and is free to see from the pavement.

Tip: Take photographs from the opposite side of the street to fit the whole colonnade in.

Casts of ancient and Renaissance sculpture

The first-floor halls show casts of works from ancient Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The museum began as a teaching collection, so copies of famous sculpture are a core part of it.

The halls are large and bright, and the casts allow you to see famous works at full scale in one place.

Tip: Walk through the casts first; they give the context for the paintings upstairs.

Old Masters and Byzantine icons

The Main Building holds European Old Masters, Byzantine icons and ancient mosaics, from the 8th century up to the 19th century. Paintings are hung in halls with a classical layout.

The visit rewards slow looking, and the collection is large enough that you should pick a few rooms rather than try to see everything.

Tip: Pick a period or school and follow it through the halls rather than walking every room.

Egyptian collection

Objects from the collection of Vladimir Golenishchev have been on display since the museum opened in 1912. They give the Main Building an ancient section beside the classical casts.

The objects are small and detailed, so the cases reward close attention.

Tip: Look for the smaller cases, where the best detail on the objects is often found.

Impressionists and Post-Impressionists

The Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art, opened in August 2006, holds one of the best collections of French art of the period, with works by Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Rousseau, plus Goya and the German painter Caspar David Friedrich.

It is a separate building with its own ticket, though a combined ticket covers it with the Main Building.

Tip: Go to the Gallery first on a day with late opening, when the Impressionist rooms are quieter.

Kandinsky and Chagall

The Gallery's collection was enriched with paintings by Vasily Kandinsky and Marc Chagall, donated by the artists' relatives. They link the 19th-century rooms with the early 20th century.

The collection also reflects a complicated history: the museum of new Western art was closed in 1948 and its collection divided between Moscow and the Hermitage.

Tip: Read the labels in these rooms; they explain how the works came to the museum.

Ivan Tsvetaev Educational Art Museum

The Educational Art Museum, named after the museum's founder Ivan Tsvetaev, is part of the museum quarter and is free for all visitors. It is a good addition if you are traveling with children or want a quiet stop.

It is a different building from the Main Building and the Gallery.

Tip: Check its opening times at the ticket desk; it is easy to overlook.

Atmosphere

The Main Building has a calm, formal feel, with a white colonnade, high halls and quiet rooms. In the casts hall the light is bright and the sculpture throws long shadows on the floor.

The Gallery next door is more intimate, with smaller rooms and brightly colored walls. The sound is muted: footsteps, a few whispers, the shuffle of school groups in the middle of the day.

The museum is quietest in the first hour and the last two on days with late opening. Outside, Volkhonka Street is busy, and the cathedral across the road gives the entrance a large, open feel.

History of Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

The museum was the idea of Ivan Tsvetaev, a professor at Moscow University, who wanted a museum of classical and European art for teaching. It began as a collection of casts of famous sculpture, so that Russian students could study great works without traveling.

Construction began in 1898, based on a design by the architect Roman Klein, and the museum opened in 1912 as the Alexander III Museum of Fine Arts. Egyptian objects from the collection of Vladimir Golenishchev were on display from the opening.

In 1937 the museum was renamed after Alexander Pushkin, marking the centenary of the poet’s death, though Pushkin himself had no direct connection to it.

The museum later gained an important collection of French art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries from earlier Moscow collections. In 1948 the Museum of New Western Art was closed during a campaign against formalism, and its collection was divided between the Pushkin Museum and the Hermitage in Leningrad. On 15 December 1953 the permanent exhibition was rearranged.

In 2006 a children’s centre, the Museion, opened in a former private house nearby, and in August of the same year the Gallery of Art from the Countries of Europe and America of the 19th and 20th centuries opened in the former left wing of the Golitsyn residence. It brought the museum’s modern collections together in 26 rooms.

Work on a Museum Quarter began in the late 2000s, and a reconstruction of the Main Building was planned for 2019–23. The museum has hosted more than 1,200 exhibitions in its history.

Today the museum includes the Main Building, the Gallery, the Educational Art Museum and the Sviatoslav Richter Memorial Apartment, and its French Impressionist collection is among the best known in the world.

Tickets and Booking for Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

Ticket	Price	Includes
Combined ticket, weekdays	₽₽₽	The Main Building and the Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art on one day.
Combined ticket, weekends and holidays	₽₽₽	The Main Building and the Gallery on one day.
Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art	₽₽	The Gallery building at Volkhonka 14 only.
Main Building	From ₽₽	The Main Building at Volkhonka 12 only; check the current price.
Children aged 6 and under	Free	Free entry, with other free categories listed on the official site.

Buy tickets on the museum’s official site, pushkinmuseum.art, or at the ticket offices. Tickets are timed at half-hour intervals, and a guide reports that sales open about two weeks ahead; if a date is not yet shown, sales for it have not opened.

• Combined ticket: valid for one day and goes off sale four hours before closing, so plan enough time for both buildings.
• Buildings: each building needs a separate ticket, and the Educational Art Museum is free.
• Payment: online payment options for foreign cards were not confirmed.

Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ. All categories and the current prices are on the official ticket page, pushkinmuseum.art.

Suggested Itineraries for Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

2 hours

Visit the Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art first for the Impressionists, Kandinsky and Chagall. Finish with the casts on the ground floor of the Main Building.

3–4 hours

Buy a combined ticket and start in the Main Building with the casts, Old Masters and Egyptian objects. Cross to the Gallery for the Impressionists and finish with a coffee.

Half day

Spend the morning in both buildings with a break in between. Walk across Volkhonka to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and continue to the Kremlin.

How to Get to Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

The museum stands on Volkhonka Street, a few minutes from the metro.

• Kropotkinskaya (Line 1, Sokolnicheskaya, red): the nearest station, about 3–4 minutes on foot, about 250 meters along Volkhonka toward the Kremlin.
• Borovitskaya (Line 9, Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya, gray): about 8 minutes.

The Main Building is at number 12 and the Gallery at number 14. The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is across the street. Traffic is heavy on Volkhonka, so a taxi may drop you a block away.

Accessibility

No official accessibility details were confirmed. The Main Building is a historic building with several floors, and the Gallery is in a former residence, so contact the museum before visiting if you need step-free access or assistance, and check pushkinmuseum.art for current information.

Food Nearby

There are cafes in the museum buildings, though their hours and menus were not confirmed. Around Volkhonka Street and Prechistenka Street there are many cafes and restaurants at different price levels. The area around Arbat and Znamenka also has cafes. Check opening hours before you go.

What to Bring

Bring comfortable shoes* for long halls and a light layer, as galleries can be cool. Large bags may need to be left in a cloakroom.

Best Views and Photo Spots of Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

Opposite side of Volkhonka Street

The full colonnade of the Main Building seen across the street, with the pediment and steps in the frame.

Best time: Morning, when the front is lit

Museum steps and colonnade

The columns frame the entrance, and a few visitors give a sense of scale.

Best time: Late afternoon light

Casts hall in the Main Building

White casts of ancient sculpture in a bright hall, with long shadows on the floor.

Best time: Quiet times, when the hall is nearly empty

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour terrace

A view back across the street toward the museum's colonnade, with the cathedral in the foreground.

Best time: Evening

Photography Rules

Photography rules were not confirmed and can differ between permanent halls and temporary exhibitions. Avoid flash, look for signs in each hall and follow staff instructions. The facade can be photographed freely from the street.

Family Suitability

The museum suits older children with an interest in art and history. The casts of ancient sculpture are easy for children to understand, and the Educational Art Museum is free. Young children may tire in the long halls, and timed tickets and quiet rooms require patience. Children aged 6 and under enter free. Stroller access was not confirmed, so check with the museum.

Moscow Vibes Tips

• Do not look for Pushkin the poet; the name dates only from 1937, and the collection is European art.
• On a day with late opening, go to the Gallery in the last two hours for quieter Impressionist rooms.
• Choose between a combined ticket and a single building by your time; the combined ticket is valid for one day only.
• Start with the casts in the Main Building; they explain how the museum began as a teaching collection.
• Look for Kandinsky and Chagall in the Gallery; they were donated by the artists' relatives, which is unusual for a Russian collection.
• Pair the museum with the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour across the street; both can be done in one morning.

Explore Nearby Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

Sights near Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

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  Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Moscow – about 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours; about 1 hour 20 minutes for the full guided tour
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  Moscow Kremlin – about 900 m away (~15 min walk) · typical visit: 3–5 hours for Cathedral Square plus the Armoury Chamber
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  Armoury Chamber Moscowabout 600 m away (~10 min walk) · typical visit: 1.5–2 hours
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  Red Square Moscow – about 1.2 km away (~20 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours for the square, 3–5 hours with St Basil's and one museum
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  Tretyakov Gallery Moscowabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours per building
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  Pashkov House Moscowabout 350 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: About 20 to 30 minutes

Metro stations near Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

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  Kropotkinskaya Metro Stationabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)
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  Borovitskaya Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)
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  Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Stationabout 500 m away (~9 min walk)

Restaurants and cafes near Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

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  Elevenabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)
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  Ainaabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)
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  WA Gardenabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)
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  Krasotaabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)

Nightlife near Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

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  Rhythm & Blues Cafeabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)
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  Rule Taproomabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)

Hotels near Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

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  Russo-Balt Hotel Moscowabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
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  Bokstel Hostelabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)
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  Cheers Arbat Mini-Hotelabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)

Events and traditions near Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

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  December Nights Music Festival in Moscowabout 50 m away (~1 min walk)
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  Orthodox Easter in Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)
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  Orthodox Christmas in Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)

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FAQ: Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscow

Is the museum connected to the poet Pushkin?

No. It was renamed after Pushkin in 1937 for the centenary of his death, but he had no direct connection with it. The collection is European art.

Where are the Impressionists?

In the Gallery of 19th and 20th Century European and American Art at Volkhonka 14, a separate building next to the Main Building, with works by Monet, Van Gogh and Cezanne.

Is the Gallery included in the Main Building ticket?

No. Each building needs a separate ticket, but a combined ticket covers both on one day. See the booking section.

Is the Educational Art Museum free?

Yes. Entry to the Ivan Tsvetaev Educational Art Museum is free for all visitors, according to the official ticket page.

How long do I need?

About two to three hours for each building. Both fit into a half day with a break between them.

Do I need a guide?

Not necessarily. Labels explain the main works, though a guide or audio guide adds context. Check the official site for what is offered in English.

Is the museum near the Kremlin?

Yes. It is on Volkhonka Street, about 10 minutes on foot from the Kremlin, and across the street from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

What is the December Nights festival?

A month-long festival of music and art held by the museum in December. Check the official site for the current program.

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