There are different museums in Moscow. Zoological attracts a large number of visitors every day. It will appeal to adults and children of any age. It should be visited by every native and tourist who came to admire the capital of Russia.
Nature lovers
The Zoological Museum in Moscow will not leave indifferent those visitors who love nature. Initially, at the opening (1791), this institution was given the name "Cabinet of Natural History". Then it belonged to the Moscow Imperial University.
Ordinary citizens had the opportunity to visit the museum and get acquainted with its exhibits in 1866, i.e. after 75 years from the date of creation. In 1902, a complex of buildings was erected (project by architect K.M. Bykovsky), of which the museum became a part. The buildings of the institutes (Botanical and Zoological), which were also built this quarter after many years, were transformed into the buildings of the faculty of psychology of Moscow State University.
The exterior of the building
It is easy to see that the design of the monumental building of the Zoological Museum contains classic motifs, as decorations, the authors used voluminous images (bas-reliefs) on the walls. Attracted by its appearance to all tourists Zoological Museum in Moscow. Photos of the institution were used to design guides and advertise the sights of the capital.
After Soviet power was established in the country, the museum again changed its status; it was added to Moscow State University as one of the departments of the biology faculty.
Finally, when radical transformations (perestroika) took place in the USSR, which ultimately led to its collapse, the museum also received the status of an independent institution - a research institute.
Expositions
Almost all representatives of the fauna are reflected in the museum. At one time, there were skeletons of fossil animals, but once a reasonable decision was made that it was better to give them to the Paleontological Museum. Left only the remains of a mammoth. In the scientific and auxiliary fund of the museum, zoologists have created excellent conditions for working with stuffed animals, maintaining these exhibits in good condition. Thanks to the efforts of the museum staff, the stuffed animals are almost no different from living wild animals in the natural environment. Among such a class of attractions as museums in Moscow, the Zoological has a special status. He is loved by children and their parents.
A strict scientifically based system is traced in the arrangement of exhibits, i.e. all of them are arranged, distributed in accordance with the classes and orders that exist in the animal world. The following zoological collections are contained in the Lower, Upper and Bone Halls of the museum:
- The class of invertebrates and arachnids, which, in particular, are represented by interesting collections of mollusks and causing conflicting feelings of spiders, total - 1.5 million specimens.
- Class insects. Interesting are delightful butterflies. In total - about 4 million copies.
- Class of amphibians and reptiles.
- A class of fish, the collection of which has slightly fewer specimens than the similar one at the Academy of Sciences.
- The bird class, the largest collection is in second place in the country.
- Class mammals.
Most of the exhibits - over 7 thousand - are concentrated on the windows of the halls. In the museum’s storerooms there is a small number of copies that are used exclusively for rental purposes, for example, they participate as characters in the filming of films or are shown at traveling exhibitions. The Zoological Museum in Moscow regularly replenishes its collections. Therefore, it does not get bored there.
Educational excursions
Museum visitors have the opportunity to choose how best to familiarize themselves with the exhibits. Some of them, taking their time, walk around and examine everything around, while others decide that it is better to use the service of a guide. In the latter case, much more interesting information can be obtained. For some time now, visitors have been given the opportunity to capture what they see in the photo, although the lighting of the premises does not greatly contribute to this. In the Darwin Museum, excursions that are conducted in an interactive form are no less exciting, in addition, you can admire the mummies of animals. Museums in Moscow are developing rapidly.
Zoological offers many thematic excursions, most of which are designed for students. Information is not only interesting in itself. She can supplement the training material, including the courses "Birds of the forest, taiga", "Animal Kingdom of Australia", "Animals of the Moscow Region." Pupils of elementary grades with genuine interest listen to the stories of the guides on the theme “Animals in Kipling's Tales”. Most of the children watched the Mowgli cartoon and read a book about this character.
The museum has a "Biolectory". Cognitive material will broaden the horizons of students in schools that study biology in depth. All schools are trying to ensure that their wards visit museums in Moscow. Teachers of biology and anatomy love the zoological.
Going to museums is not only an interesting time spent. It’s better to see stuffed animals once with your own eyes (it’s a pity that you can’t stroke it), to hear fascinating stories from the mouth of the guide than, for example, to look at pictures on screens of monitors or TVs many times.
Address of the Zoological Museum
According to statistics, more than 200 thousand visitors manage to visit the museum every year. It is located at ul. Bolshaya Nikitskaya, d.6 (next to the House-Museum of Lermontov and the House-Museum of Tsvetaeva). To do this, take the metro to the Lenin Library or Okhotny Ryad station. Then turn in the direction of Mokhovaya Street and go just a block until Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street appears.
Be sure to visit this exhibition when you are in Moscow. Address (Museum "Zoological") - st. Bolshaya Nikitskaya, 6. Ticket price: 50-250 rubles.