Darwin Museum

The State Darwin Museum in Moscow is a unique cultural and educational space dedicated to the evolution of life on Earth. It is the largest natural science collection not only in Russia but in all of Europe, housing more than 400,000 unique exhibits.

History of the Museum: From a Home Collection to a Scientific Center

The museum was founded by the distinguished zoologist Alexander Fyodorovich Kots. Passionate about studying the animal world and taxidermy from an early age, by the age of sixteen he had already assembled an impressive collection of animal mounts. Some specimens were even exhibited at the Moscow Zoological Garden.

The Birth of the Museum at the Women’s Courses

A turning point came in October 1907, when Kots began teaching at the Moscow Higher Women’s Courses. While conducting practical anatomy classes, the young scientist realized the need for a visual teaching collection. The administration supported his initiative, allocating space for a zoological laboratory. The first small exhibition reflected the revolutionary ideas of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. A team of like-minded collaborators joined the effort: Nadezhda Ladygina, who later became Kots’s wife and co-founder of the museum, taxidermist Fyodor Fedulov, and animal artist Vasily Vatagin.

The Long Road to a Building of Its Own

By 1913, the collection already contained thousands of exhibits, many brought from abroad. However, the issue of a permanent building remained unresolved for decades. Alexander Kots petitioned Lenin and Stalin for the construction of a dedicated facility, but to no avail. After Kots’s death in 1964, director Vera Ignatieva took up the cause. Thanks to her efforts, in 1995 the first exhibition in the new building on Vavilov Street opened. By 2007, the second building was completed, giving the museum complex its modern form.

Architecture and Structure of the Museum Complex

The museum occupies two large buildings with a total area of about 5,000 square meters, connected by underground passages. The navigation system allows visitors to easily find their way through the space.

Main Building: Three Floors of Discovery

The first floor welcomes guests with the interactive center “Know Yourself — Know the World,” especially interesting for young explorers. Here, visitors can learn about the structure of the Universe, the planet’s biodiversity, and the features of the human body in an engaging way. The second floor is entirely devoted to biological science, its development, and the system of natural scientific knowledge. The third floor includes two impressive halls: “Zoogeography,” featuring augmented reality technology for observing animals in their natural habitats, and “Macroevolution,” revealing the mysteries of human origins.

Exhibition Complex: Seven Floors of Discovery

The tall building with its distinctive tower offers a variety of programs across seven floors. The first, third, and fourth floors house permanent exhibitions, including a digital planetarium with captivating space shows. The fourth floor is especially impressive with the “Walk the Path of Evolution” hall, featuring life-size models of prehistoric creatures and a children’s 4D attraction with a virtual ocean dive. In warm seasons, the fifth floor’s greenhouse with an open terrace hosts workshops, lectures, and film screenings.

Top 5 Must-See Exhibits of the Museum

PaleoPark: A Meeting with Ancient Giants

Your encounter with the museum begins before you even enter. A 260-meter eco-trail includes a PaleoPark featuring life-size sculptures of extinct animals:

• Duck-billed Amurosaurus
• Kilesk — a Siberian relative of the Tyrannosaurus
• Panderichthys — an ancient crawling fish
• Mammoth with giant tusks
• Woolly rhinoceros
• Cave lion

Live Insectarium: The Kingdom of Six-Legged Creatures

On the first floor of the exhibition complex live insects from five continents. Special terrariums maintain optimal conditions for each species. Visitors can observe:

• The transformation of a chrysalis into a butterfly
• A silkworm spinning its fine thread
• The masterful camouflage of stick insects
• The lives of tropical cockroaches and scorpions

“The Diversity of Life on Earth”: A Round-the-World Journey

Hall No. 3 in the main building embodies the founder’s classical vision of the museum. Animal mounts are arranged in skillfully recreated natural landscapes, grouped by geography. The “Savanna” exhibit displays elephants, giraffes, zebras, and crocodiles in a lifelike African setting. At set times, the walls turn into a giant movie screen showing half-hour educational films.

Collection of Aberrants: Nature’s Whims

The museum holds the world’s largest collection of birds and mammals with unusual coloration. Among the rare specimens are:

• The flightless dodo
• The wingless great auk
• The cross-billed guya bird

Interactive Technologies: Evolution in Motion

Moving dinosaur models transport visitors back to the Mesozoic era. These ancient giants turn their heads and emit characteristic sounds, creating a realistic immersive experience.

Unique Features of the Museum

The largest collection of animalistic paintings in Russia is represented by works of renowned wildlife artists. Audio stands allow visitors to hear the sounds of fish, dispelling the myth of their silence. Underwater creatures communicate through swim bladders, gills, and pharyngeal teeth. The educational center “Know Yourself” amazes visitors with a transparent plastic floor beneath which lies a miniature world of animals and plants. The Happy Bumblebee is the museum’s mascot. Legend has it that if you rub the bronze statue’s wings, your wish will come true. The bumblebee even hums when touched.

Practical Information for Visitors

Opening Hours

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:00–18:00
• Thursday: 13:00–21:00
• Monday: closed

Ticket Prices

• Adult ticket: 400 rubles
• Discounted ticket: 200 rubles
• Preschool children: free
• Thursday evening visits: 50% discount

Tickets can be purchased online, at the ticket office, or via electronic terminals at the entrance. Some exhibitions, workshops, and lectures require separate admission fees.

How to Get There

Address: Moscow, Vavilova Street, 57 Best route: about a 10-minute walk from “Akademicheskaya” metro station along Dmitry Ulyanov Street. Alternative routes:

• From “Profsoyuznaya” metro station — 25–30 minutes on foot
• From “Universitet” metro station — 30 minutes via Vernadsky and Universitet avenues
• “Darwin Museum” stop — buses and trams

Tips for a Comfortable Visit

• Set aside at least a full day to explore the collection of 400,000 exhibits
• Visit on weekdays to avoid large crowds
• In summer, be sure to go up to the open rooftop terrace on the fifth floor
• Check the schedule of temporary exhibitions and special programs on the official website
• Book a guided tour for a deeper experience

Why You Should Visit the Darwin Museum

The Darwin Museum is more than a collection of exhibits. It’s a place where you can touch the mysteries of nature, trace the path of evolution from the earliest organisms to modern humans, and discover fascinating facts about our planet and its inhabitants. Interactive technologies, living exhibits, and immersive multimedia shows make the visit engaging for all ages. It’s equally interesting for a three-year-old child, an adult scientist, a student, or a retiree. The museum continues to evolve, constantly expanding its collection and introducing new technologies. It is a living, breathing space where the past meets the present, and science becomes clear and inspiring.