Victory Museum

The Victory Museum in Moscow is the largest military-historical complex in Russia, dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War. Located on the legendary Poklonnaya Hill, this grand memorial annually attracts about one and a half million visitors from around the world.

History of the Museum Complex

The idea of creating a large memorial arose during the war itself — in 1942. A design competition was announced, but the winning project could not be realized. The next attempt was made in 1955, when Marshal Georgy Zhukov sent a letter to the Central Committee of the CPSU proposing the creation of a major memorial-museum complex. Key stages of construction:

• 1958 — installation of a symbolic foundation stone on Poklonnaya Hill
• 1961 — foundation of Victory Park
• 1985 — beginning of large-scale construction of the memorial complex
• 1991 — suspension of work due to Perestroika
• 1994 — resumption of work in preparation for the 50th anniversary of Victory
• May 9, 1995 — ceremonial opening of the museum by President Boris Yeltsin

The museum was built not only with state funding but also through public donations. By 1986, 194 million rubles had been raised out of the 213 million required. In 2017, the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War was renamed the Victory Museum.

Architecture and Layout of the Complex

In front of the main building lies a majestic park, where every detail is filled with symbolic meaning. The main alley consists of five terraces — one for each year of the war. In summer, 225 fountains operate on the grounds — the same number of weeks the Great Patriotic War lasted. The dominant feature of the architectural ensemble is the Victory Monument, 141 meters and 80 centimeters tall — one decimeter for each day of the war. This obelisk, shaped like a bayonet, is crowned with a sculptural composition of the goddess of victory Nike and two angels. The museum building itself is a four-story structure with a massive semicircular colonnade at the entrance. Under the huge dome are exhibition spaces with a total area of over 16,000 square meters.

Halls of Memory and Glory

Hall of Memory and Sorrow

At the center of the exposition stands the sculpture "Sorrow" by the People’s Artist of the USSR Lev Kerbel. Made of white Koelga marble, it represents a collective image of all Soviet women mourning their fallen loved ones. From the ceiling hang brass chains with crystal pendants symbolizing tears of grief. Special sound design — a soft chime combined with a fragment of Mozart’s Requiem (Lacrimosa) — enhances the emotional impact. The hall commemorates more than 26.6 million Soviet citizens who perished during the war. Each link of the chains represents ten fallen soldiers and civilians.

Hall of Glory

Located under the main dome, this round hall is the heart of the museum. The central feature is a ten-meter-high bronze sculpture "The Soldier-Victor" by Vladimir Znoba. On 72 marble pylons are inscribed the names of nearly 12,000 Heroes of the Soviet Union and Heroes of Russia. Around the dome is the Wreath of Glory, symbolizing the contribution of all Soviet peoples to the common victory. At the center of the dome is an image of the "Victory" order. Here, a striking 3D installation of the war’s key battles is regularly shown.

Hall of Commanders

One of the most solemn halls of the museum greets visitors with a wide ceremonial staircase decorated with panels of helmets, rifles, and bronze laurel branches. Along the perimeter stand bronze busts of eleven Soviet military leaders — holders of the highest order "Victory." This award was granted to senior commanders for successfully conducting major military operations.

Hall “Faces of Victory”

A unique multimedia exhibition takes the form of a giant digital photo album. Portraits of soldiers, officers, partisans, and home-front workers are displayed on wall screens. The gallery is constantly updated — anyone can add a photo of a veteran relative through special terminals in the museum or local public service centers.

Hall of Historical Truth

This exhibition space presents documents and testimonies from wartime. Visitors can see official statistics on casualties, newspaper pages, archival photographs, and newsreels. Among the unique exhibits is Marshal Zhukov’s briefcase, in which he carried secret documents to meetings with Stalin.

Permanent Exhibitions

“The Road to Victory”

A large multimedia exhibition covering 4,500 square meters is dedicated to the valor of Red Army soldiers. It is a frontline chronicle of the war through the faces and fates of servicemen, combining authentic artifacts, "living" dioramas, and modern technologies. The unique complex includes six grand dioramas:

• The Counteroffensive near Moscow
• The Battle of Stalingrad — link-up of the fronts
• The Siege of Leningrad
• The Battle of Kursk
• The Crossing of the Dnieper
• The Storming of Berlin

Each battle canvas was created by artists of the Grekov Studio of Military Artists. In front of the dioramas, dynamic scenes unfold on special screens, while projections, mapping, and augmented reality create full immersion in frontline life.

“The People’s Feat”

This 3,000-square-meter exhibition tells the story of the Soviet people’s contribution to victory. Visitors find themselves in historically accurate settings of different wartime locations. Thematic sections transport visitors to:

• The Brest Fortress and the square of Veliky Novgorod
• Factory workshops and military hospitals
• Burned Smolensk villages
• The library of besieged Leningrad
• The steps of the Reichstag

Director Igor Ugolnikov filmed a special series of 22 reenactment films for this space. 3D panoramas, holograms, projections, and elements of immersive theater create a unique sense of presence.

“The Battle for Moscow. The First Victory!”

An interactive exhibition of nine thematic sections is available only to organized groups. Together with the Zvonarev family of Muscovites, visitors go through all the trials faced by the capital’s residents during the hardest period of the war. Guests visit Moscow metro stations used as bomb shelters, enlistment points for people’s militia, trenches of Red Army soldiers, and the legendary parade of November 7, 1941, on Red Square.

Museum G.O.R.A. — Exhibition of Military Equipment

On an open-air area of about ten hectares is a branch of the Victory Museum — the Museum of the Army’s Main Weapons Relics. More than 400 pieces of military equipment are on display: tanks, artillery, aircraft, and vehicles. Some exhibits are preserved as unique specimens. The exhibition is divided into several thematic zones:

• Tank location
• Aviation exposition
• Naval equipment
• Partisan movement
• Local conflicts

Among the exhibits are the legendary "Victory tank" T-34, the Yak-3 fighter, and the rare TM-1-180 railway artillery transporter with a 180 mm naval gun. Many exhibits are displayed in cutaway, and some are accompanied by sound effects of working engines.

Practical Information for Visitors

Location and How to Get There

Address: Moscow, Victory Square, Building 3 The nearest metro station is "Park Pobedy" on the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya and Solntsevskaya lines. It is about a 10–15 minute walk from the station to the main entrance. Free parking is available around the building for those arriving by car.

Opening Hours

• Tuesday: 13:00–22:00
• Wednesday–Sunday: 10:00–22:00
• Monday: closed

Ticket Prices (2025)

• Main building admission: 450 rubles (adults), 300 rubles (discounted), 100 rubles (children 7–14)
• Museum G.O.R.A. admission: 400 rubles (adults), 300 rubles (discounted), 100 rubles (children 7–14)
• “Battle for Moscow” tour: 500 rubles (weekends), 400 rubles (weekdays)
• “The People’s Feat” tour: 600 rubles (weekends), 500 rubles (weekdays)

Children under seven enter free. Tours must be purchased in addition to admission tickets.

Visitor Rules

Visitors must leave outerwear and large bags in the cloakroom. Amateur photo and video shooting of general views is allowed without flash and tripod. Visitors must follow navigation rules set by the museum administration.

Interesting Facts about the Museum

• The museum’s collection holds about 500,000 items
• The library contains over 55,000 books, including rare wartime editions and newspapers
• The total exhibition area is 16,700 square meters
• The museum has its own cinema with 450 seats
• More than 40 guided programs are available for visitors
• Special holiday programs are offered: the New Year quest “Victory Tree” and the summer club “Summer of Victories”

Events and Exhibitions

In addition to permanent displays, the museum organizes themed exhibitions dedicated to significant dates. In spring, especially during preparations for Victory Day, festive concerts and official events take place on a grand scale. In summer, the museum traditionally takes part in nationwide events such as "Night of Museums," "Night of Cinema," and "Night of Arts." Patriotic concerts are regularly held in the Hall of Commanders, while in the Hall of Glory, solemn ceremonies of military oath-taking, induction of Suvorov cadets, and the awarding of first officer ranks take place.

Victory Museum — A Place of Historical Memory

The Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Hill is a unique space preserving the memory of the tragic and heroic chapters of national history. The combination of authentic historical artifacts, modern multimedia technologies, and grand architectural solutions makes this complex one of the most impressive military-historical museums in the world. Visiting the museum allows one to better understand the scale of the Soviet people’s feat, appreciate the price of Victory, and connect with living history through the personal fates of the Motherland’s defenders. It is a place worth visiting with the whole family to pass on the memory of the greatest event of the 20th century to future generations.