State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow: Folk Art, Hours and Tips

By Moscow Vibes · October 9, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

HoursThe official site says the museum…
Time neededAbout 1.5 to 2 hours

The State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow, officially the All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art, stands on Delegatskaya Street 3, a short walk from Novoslobodskaya and Tsvetnoy Bulvar Metro. It was founded by a government order of 10 February 1981 and opened its first exhibition later that year, in a complex of historic buildings of the late 18th to 20th centuries.

It is the only specialized federal art museum in Russia devoted to decorative, applied and folk art. This guide explains where to find the museum, how the collection is organized, what a visitor typically sees, what is on temporary exhibitions, how the museum’s name differs from the common English name, which Metro stations are nearest, and how to combine it with Tsvetnoy Boulevard and the Nikulin Circus nearby.

Quick Facts

Russian name	Всероссийский музей декоративного искусства
Built / opened	1981
Address	Delegatskaya Street 3, Moscow 127473
District	Tverskoy
Metro	Novoslobodskaya (Line 5, brown, named on the official site as the nearest station; the walk was not verified, so allow about 10 minutes) Tsvetnoy Bulvar (Line 9, light gray, also named on the official site; allow about 10 minutes on foot) Mayakovskaya (Line 2, green, also named on the official site)
Opening hours	The official site says the museum's hours are posted at the entrance and may change, and that the ticket office closes 45 minutes before the museum closes; listings give about 10:00 to 18:00 on most days, a late evening on Thursday and Monday as the closed day, so confirm the current hours (as of October 2026 – check the official site).
Admission	Ticket prices were not found on the pages checked, and the museum sometimes opens free of charge on special days, so check the official site for current prices.
Best time to visit	Weekday mornings are the quietest, and weekends and school holidays are busier. The museum works all year round and suits a rainy or winter day; see the Moscow in the Rain: Indoor Sightseeing Itinerary. Check the opening hours, which may change.
Recommended duration	About 1.5 to 2 hours
Website	damuseum.ru/en
Last updated	October 9, 2026

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

Part	Status	Notes
The permanent exhibition halls	Included in the standard ticket	Covered by a standard ticket; check which halls are open.
Temporary exhibitions	Separate ticket or institution	May need a separate or combined ticket; check the official site.
Workshops and guided tours	Separate ticket or institution	Offered with their own booking and prices.
Free days and benefits	Included in the standard ticket	The museum sometimes opens free on special days and offers free tickets to privileged categories at the ticket office.
The Nikulin Circus nearby	Outside / not part of it	A separate venue on Tsvetnoy Boulevard; see the Nikulin Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard guide.
Storage and collections not on display	Not open to visitors	Not open to visitors.

Why Visit State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow?

The museum shows the range of Russian handicrafts and decorative art in one place, from folk costumes, toys, embroidery and lacquered boxes to Russian modern-style works and Soviet-era porcelain. A guide mentions interiors and furniture from noble apartments of the 18th to 20th centuries.

The collection grew through acquisitions, among them part of the well-known collection of Natalia Shabelskaya, and through the museum’s own expeditions, which brought back painted fragments of village houses, wedding sledges and folk costumes. The museum is smaller and quieter than the central museums and also offers workshops and guided tours according to listings.

How State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow Is Laid Out

The museum occupies a building on Delegatskaya Street 3, in a complex of buildings of the late 18th to 20th centuries that is an architectural landmark. A guide describes it as hidden in a courtyard, so look for the entrance from the street.

Inside are exhibition halls for the permanent collection, halls for temporary exhibitions, a ticket office and service areas, as listed in the museum’s visiting rules. The official site says the ticket office closes 45 minutes before the museum closes. Check the official site for the current floor plan, the exhibitions on show and any rules for bags.

Highlights of State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

Folk art and traditional crafts

The collection includes folk costumes, toys, wood carving, embroidery and linens from regions across Russia, many brought back by the museum's own expeditions. A guide mentions intricate wooden baskets and detailed figurine carvings. Look for the painted village-house fragments and wedding sledges. Check which halls are open.

Tip: Allow time for the folk-art halls, since the detail rewards slow looking.

Russian modern style

A guide mentions works of Russian modern style by artists such as Vrubel, Golovin, Malyutin, Konenkov and Andreev among the decorative and applied works of the 18th to 20th centuries. Look at the furniture and ceramics. Check the labels in English, which may be limited.

Tip: Read about the modern-style movement in advance to place the objects.

Soviet agitation porcelain

The collection includes Soviet art of the 1920s to 1950s, among them agitation porcelain and fabrics made to carry political themes. It shows how decorative art served public messages. Check whether a selection is currently on display.

Tip: Ask at the ticket office where the Soviet-era pieces are shown.

The Shabelskaya collection

Part of the well-known collection of Natalia Shabelskaya was acquired by the museum with help from a cultural foundation, according to the official history page. It is one of the early foundations of the collection. Check whether pieces are currently on show.

Tip: Read the museum's history page before your visit.

The courtyard mansion

The museum is housed in a complex of buildings of the late 18th to 20th centuries, a landmark of architecture, and a guide describes it as hidden in a courtyard. A Moscow nickname for the mansion refers to its former owners. Look at the facade and courtyard before entering.

Tip: Look for the entrance from Delegatskaya Street, since it is easy to miss.

Workshops and temporary exhibitions

The museum organizes guided tours and workshops, and guides mention children's workshops and excursions in English, as well as frequent temporary exhibitions. Check the official site for the current program and whether English tours are offered.

Tip: Check the exhibition program before you choose a date.

Atmosphere

You come in from the street through a courtyard to a quiet mansion where the halls are hushed and the cases glitter with painted porcelain and lacquer. The sounds are footsteps on the floors and the low voices of guides, and the light from tall windows falls on embroidered cloth and carved wood.

Visitors are school groups, craft enthusiasts and some tourists, and the museum is rarely crowded on weekday mornings. Workshops fill with children at weekends. The museum feels small and personal compared with the large central museums.

History of State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

The museum was founded by an order of the RSFSR government on 10 February 1981, and opened its first exhibition and its doors to the public on 21 July 1981, in a historic complex of buildings of the late 18th to 20th centuries on Delegatskaya Street. It is the only specialized federal art museum engaged in collecting, preserving, studying and popularizing the decorative, applied and folk art of Russia.

The collection was formed through acquisitions, among them part of the well-known collection of Natalia Shabelskaya, and through the museum’s own expeditions, which brought back rare exhibits from regions of Russia, such as large fragments of paintings of village houses, wedding sledges and folk costumes. In 2017, on the museum’s initiative, a section of museums storing decorative and applied art collections was created within the Union of Museums of Russia.

Today the museum holds a large collection, with one guide giving more than 200,000 pieces, and organizes exhibitions, tours and workshops. 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; the museum’s history page contains a date typo for the first opening.

Tickets and Booking for State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

Tickets. Tickets are sold at the museum’s ticket office, which closes 45 minutes before the museum closes, and prices were not found on the pages checked, so no figures are given here; no online booking window was verified. The museum sometimes opens free on special days. Visitors belonging to privileged categories may need a document at the entrance, and rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ, so check the official site damuseum.ru for all categories and the visiting rules.

Payment. Cash in rubles is the safe option at the ticket office. 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

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Suggested Itineraries for State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

1.5 hours

Find the courtyard entrance, buy a ticket, see the folk-art halls and the modern-style and Soviet porcelain displays, then leave through the courtyard.

2 hours

Add a temporary exhibition or a guided tour, then walk to Tsvetnoy Boulevard for a coffee.

Half day

Combine the museum with the Nikulin Circus and Hermitage Garden nearby, following the Patriarch's Ponds and Tverskoy Boulevard Walking Itinerary.

How to Get to State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

Take the Metro to Novoslobodskaya (Line 5, brown), Tsvetnoy Bulvar (Line 9, light gray) or Mayakovskaya (Line 2, green), each named on the official site; allow about 10 minutes on foot to Delegatskaya Street 3, since the walking times were not verified.

By taxi: ask for Delegatskaya Street 3, the Decorative Arts Museum.
On foot: the museum is a walk from Tsvetnoy Boulevard and the Garden Ring.
Orientation: the entrance is in a courtyard off the street.

Accessibility

The museum is in a complex of historic buildings, and accessibility facilities such as lifts, ramps and wheelchair access were not verified on the pages checked, so check damuseum.ru or call the museum before you go.

Food Nearby

Tsvetnoy Boulevard, the streets around Delegatskaya and Mayakovskaya have many cafes and restaurants; the exact venues were not verified. See the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary.

What to Bring

Bring a translation app, since English labels may be limited, and comfortable shoes for the halls; cash in rubles helps at the ticket office.

Best Views and Photo Spots of State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

The courtyard and mansion facade

The historic building seen from the courtyard, tucked away from the street.

Best time: Morning light.

The folk-art halls

Cases of painted toys, costumes and embroidery; ask before photographing.

Best time: Weekday mornings.

Tsvetnoy Boulevard nearby

The tree-lined boulevard a short walk away with the circus building.

Best time: Autumn afternoons.

The porcelain displays

Soviet agitation porcelain with bold colors; follow the rules.

Best time: Off-peak hours.

Photography Rules

Photography rules for the halls were not verified on the pages checked, so ask staff and follow signs; flash and tripods may be restricted, and drones must not be flown over the center.

Family Suitability

Suitable for children, especially with the workshops and excursions offered according to guides; the halls are quiet and the collection is easy to follow with a guide. Stroller access was not verified.

Moscow Vibes Tips

Look for the entrance in the courtyard, since it is easy to miss from the street.
Check the official site for free days, since the museum sometimes opens without charge.
Do not look for the name State Museum of Decorative Arts on signs; the official name is the All-Russian Museum of Decorative, Applied and Folk Art.
Book a guided tour in advance if you want explanations in English.
Combine the museum with the Nikulin Circus and Tsvetnoy Boulevard.
Check the exhibition program for workshops that suit children.

Explore Nearby State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Sights near State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Nikulin Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevardabout 800 m away (~13 min walk) · typical visit: About 2.5 to 3 hours for a performance
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Hermitage Garden Moscowabout 450 m away (~8 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hours
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Gulag History Museum Moscowabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)
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Moscow Museum of Modern Artabout 900 m away (~15 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hours per venue
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Vysokopetrovsky Monastery Moscow – about 950 m away (~15 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours (if doing the overview tour and/or the belltower mini-tour)
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Tchaikovsky Concert Hall Moscowabout 1.0 km away (~17 min walk) · typical visit: About 2.5 to 3 hours for a concert

Metro stations near State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Tsvetnoy Bulvar Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)
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Dostoevskaya Metro Stationabout 700 m away (~12 min walk)
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Novoslobodskaya Metro Stationabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)

Restaurants and cafes near State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Sakhliabout 650 m away (~11 min walk)
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Twins Gardenabout 950 m away (~16 min walk)
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La Maréeabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk)
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Grabliabout 1.0 km away (~17 min walk)

Nightlife near State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Delicatessenabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)
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Ruki Vverh! Bar – Tverskayaabout 950 m away (~16 min walk)

Hotels near State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Golden Apple Boutique Hotelabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)
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Parradosso Boutique Hotelabout 900 m away (~14 min walk)
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InterContinental Moscow Tverskayaabout 1.0 km away (~16 min walk)

Train stations and river piers near State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Belorussky Railway Terminalabout 1.8 km away (~29 min walk)

Events and traditions near State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

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Pushkin Day and Russian Language Day in Moscowabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)
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Moscow Tea Party Festivalabout 1.5 km away (~25 min walk)
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Easter Gift Festival in Moscowabout 1.5 km away (~25 min walk)

Related guides

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Tsvetnoy Boulevard: Nikulin Circus, Clowns Fountain and Market
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Patriarch’s Ponds and Tverskoy Boulevard Walking Itinerary: Route
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Kadril Karaoke Club: Private Karaoke Halls Near Kuznetsky Most

Browse more: More in Tverskoy · All Museums · All Sightseeing

FAQ: State Museum of Decorative Arts Moscow

Is it the same as the All-Russian Decorative Art Museum?

Yes. That is the museum's official name, in several English forms.

When did it open?

The museum was founded in February 1981 and opened to visitors in July 1981.

Which Metro station is closest?

Novoslobodskaya, Tsvetnoy Bulvar and Mayakovskaya are all named on the official site.

What does it show?

Folk costumes, toys, embroidery, lacquer, porcelain and decorative art from the 18th to 20th centuries.

Is there a closing day?

Listings give Monday as the closed day; confirm on the official site.

Are there English tours?

Guides mention excursions in English; check the official site.

Is it free?

Only on special days and for privileged categories; see the booking section.

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. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.

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