Russia is one of the largest countries in the world with many tourist destinations. Moscow, the capital of Russia, is one of the most popular cities for tourists because tourists can get acquainted with the tumultuous history of Russia and learn about its past. St. Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia, had been the capital of the Russian Empire for nearly two centuries. Many important historical and cultural events have taken place there that attract tourists. Sochi, a prominent Russian resort city on the Black Sea coast, is another city that has attracted a lot of tourists in recent years. Each of these tourist destinations also has many tourist attractions that may not be possible to visit all of them in a short trip to Russia. That is why most tourists who want to visit tourist attractions and places of interest in various tourist destinations on tour to Russia pay attention to the recommendations and tips provided by travel agencies and tour operators in Russia, and based on them, plan a trip to Russia. We have also talked about the most important tourist attractions in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the Star Travel Group blog; by reading them, you can easily decide on the sights and attractions you will visit during the Russia tour programs. Here we will introduce you to another tourist attraction of Moscow that directly connects with art and culture. The important tourist attraction is the Moscow State Museum of Oriental Art.
The State Museum of Oriental Art is one of the largest cultural and artistic centers globally, which is specifically dedicated to collecting, preserving, displaying, and studying oriental arts. This large museum, one of the most important tourist attractions on the Moscow tour, is located in the city center and near Moscow's other major tourist attractions on Nikitsky Boulevard. The closest metro station to this museum and major tourist attraction on the Moscow tour is the Arbatskaya metro station. As you know, the Moscow metro is one of the best, fastest, and cheapest means of transportation in Moscow. You can get more information about the Moscow metro and how to use it by visiting our blog. Although little attention was paid to Oriental arts and Asian countries in the Russian Empire before the October Revolution, after the formation of the Soviet government and the unification of many Eastern countries with the Soviet government, the institute was established to study and display works of Oriental art to prove that Soviet government paid particular attention to its subdivisions. The art collection found in the museum mainly consists of personal collections and confiscated galleries of former aristocrats in the Russian Empire. In the following, we will introduce more of the works that you may see while visiting this museum during your tour to Moscow. These works of art include antiquities from Iran, India, China, Japan, and many other countries.
The State Museum of Oriental Art was established in October 1918 to show particular interest in the Soviet Union's subdivision in Asia. The initial project to develop the Museum of Oriental Art was started by Pavel Muratov and Igor Grabar's support. The first exhibition of oriental art was held at the Russian State Historical Museum and later moved to the Tsvetkov Mansion. From the time of the transfer to the mansion until the early 1930s, little scientific activity took place in the museum and research institute, which may have led to the complete closure of the museum. Still, after the transfer of the museum complex to the former Church of Elijah, museum officials began conducting basic research on Oriental art, which eventually persuaded the Soviet government to allocate funds to the museum. Of course, tourists who want to visit the museum must visit the museum's current location, the Lunins' House on Nikitsky Boulevard, during their tour to Russia. Of course, tourists should keep in mind that the Lunins House building is not the only Oriental Art Museum in Moscow and that the museum has two other branches in Russia. One of these branches is the Museum of Oriental Art at the All-Russia Exhibitions Center, which no tourist should miss the opportunity to visit.
The Lunins' House, now the headquarters of the Museum of Oriental Art, is a nineteenth-century aristocratic building that belonged to the Lunin family. The House of Lunin consisted of several aristocratic and noble families who lived in Moscow before the collapse of the Russian Empire. The Italian Domenico Gilardi was responsible for designing and constructing this magnificent aristocratic house for the Lunin family. This three-story mansion has many reliefs on its exterior, which has added to its splendor. The House of Lunin sold this mansion to the Imperial Commercial Bank in 1821, which they have used until the October Revolution in 1917. After the October Revolution, the house was confiscated and used for various purposes until the government finally gave it to the Museum of Oriental Art in 1970 to house its main building in this magnificent mansion. Tourists who want to visit the State Oriental Art Museum on tour to Moscow can enjoy the exterior and interior design of this magnificent mansion, in addition to the unique exhibits from the museum collection.
When you visit the State Museum of Oriental Art during your tour to Russia, you'll see artifacts from countries such as China, Korea, Japan, East Asia, Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian countries, as well as Central Asia and middle eastern countries such as Iran, India and other West Asian countries. Among the works of art and antiquities in this unique collection are rare Buddhist sculptures and statues, unique textiles and jewelry, wood and bone carvings, and antique and rare weapons. Although the museum collection has a much smaller number of works of art than the museums of Paris and London, it is of great value as it covers almost all of Asia. By visiting our blog, you can get acquainted with other important Russian art museums and places of interest, and tourist attractions that you should not miss the opportunity to visit.
