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General information
Architectural complex
Information about the foundation of the Museum
The main events in the history of the Museum
Tasks and activities
General information
The State Museum of Oriental Art is one of the largest cultural educational institutions of the Russian Federation. In 1977 it acquired the status of the research educational institutions of the 1st category and on 18th December 1991 by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation it was attributed to the most valuable objects of the cultural heritage of Russia.
Address: 119019 Moscow, Nikitskij Boulevard, 12a.
General information: +7(495) 691-0212;
Excursion office: +7(495) 691-8219;
Urgent information: +7(495) 691-9614;
Fax: +7(495) 695-4846.
Metro stations: “Arbatskaya”, “Pushkinskaya”, trolley buses 1, 5, 15, 31, stop
“Arbatskije Vorota (Arbat Gates), Muzej Vostoka”.
Opening hours: daily from 11 a.m. till 8 p.m. Ticket desk till 7 p.m.(Monday closed).
Admissions:
1. Admission fee for adults – 150 rbls.
2. Admission fee for pupils, students of daily forms of learning, pensioners – 50 rbls.
3. Admissions for foreigners – 300 rbls.
4. Free admission:
- Veterans of the Great Patriotic War.
- Soldiers of the Russian Army.
- Museum employees.
- Members of Unions of artists, journalists and architects.
- Students of art institutions of higher learning and secondary art colleges.
- Preschool children.
5. Free admission day for visitors not reaching 18 – third Wednesday of each month.
6. Photo shooting – 150 rbls.
7. Video shooting – 250 rbls.
8. Tours for foreign citizens – 2000 roubles
There are 5 doctors and 30 candidates among science in five research departments of the Museum . The first department is engaged in developments of problems of art and culture of countries of foreign Far East and South-Eastern Asia; the second one – countries of Near and Middle East, Central and South Asia and Africa; the third one – Transcaucasian countries, The Central Asia, Kazakhstan, the Northern Caucasus and the Siberian region (from Urals up to the Pacific Ocean); the forth one – the Archaeological one which carries out research of monuments of ancient and medieval cultures on the territory of the Northern Caucasus, the Central Asia and Chukotka, the fifth - Department Roerich Heritage.
Very important research of subsidiary functions are carried out by the Department of research, restoration and reservation which consists of 20 highly qualified artists-restorers. The department of stock taking and inventory is conducting all types on documentary processing of Museum and exposition exhibits. Advertising and Exposition Departments organize expositions, announcements on forthcoming events in mass media, publication of booklets, catalogues of exhibitons and works of research workers of our Museum.
Gallery “Shon”
Attached to the Museum – antique gallery “Shon” working daily. (Sunday – day off).
Phone: 691-4579.
Architectural complex.
The main building of the Museum of Oriental Art known as “The House of Lunins” is located at the centre of Moscow in the limits of the Boulevard Circle. In 1802 general-lieutenant P.M.Lunin (the uncle of the famous Decembrist M.S.Lunin) bought on Nikitskij Boulevard a plot of land with an estate which was owned before by Putyatin. On the site of a former chamber related to the beginning of XVIII century architect Nazarov in 1787 erected a three-storey main building which was burnt during the Moscow fire of 1812. The creation of the existing ensemble started in 1814 and at the end of 1818 there were erected one and two-storey edifices and a new two-storey wing which became Lunins` apartment house.
In 1818-1822 the construction of a new complex of buildings was carried out on the project of D.L.Zhilardi. In 1821 not completed main house of the estate was sold to the Commercial bank and at the beginning of 1823 the whole complex was bought by the bank. The bank (from 1859 – the State bank) was located here till 1917.
Out of all apartment houses built by Zhilardi this ensemble is the most impressive. It is considered to be the brilliant example of the Russian Empire style of the 1st quarter of XIX century and historians of Moscow call it “the pearl of Nikitskij Boulevard”. It is characterized by asymmetry of general composition which singles it out from other architectural works of this architect. The main three-storey building balances a two-storey apartment wing located to the right and to the left is a long one-storey building for servicing purposes. The estate from the start was planned as a multi-functional complex or even as two fully isolated plots of land with separate yards each with its own gate.
The facade of the central building has a flat composition – the colonnade is placed in a shallow showy lodge with a huge balcony stretched out almost along the whole width of the building.
Entablature without pediment and completed with an extended attic crowns a plain background of the wall. In this edifice the gala design of the main building contrasts simplicity of the wing facade raised on a high white stone socle. The lodge with a powerful Corinthian colonnade and a balcony of the main building create a picturesque play of light-shadow while Ionic Order of the wing stresses its strict dimensions. The six column portico of the wing with coupled corner columns is crowned with a pediment as it was done in XVIII century giving to the right hand side quite an independent appearance. A two-storey building adjoining it from behind was residential and along Kalashnij side street (pereulok) there were stables.
In this construction it is easy to recognize Zhilardi` style by his likeness of massive heavy forms of socles and plain walls on which you can see skillfully done moldings – intricate decoration of friezes, wreathes and rosettes with masks above windows, depictions of a lyre – allegory of music, the appearance of which is evidently connected with musical tastes of the hosts of the house, and horns of plenty – the symbol of trade and wealth which appeared after the house was acquired by the bank. Not less perfect are cast iron balcony holders of the main building and its exquisite grate – excellent samples of the Russian artistic casting.
During reconstruction of the ensemble there were restored its outside and interior finishing, well preserved wall and ceiling murals, molding carnices, marble staircases, there were exposed suites of big Gala halls. The newly erected passageway connected buildings from the side of Kalashnij side street (pereulok) which allowed to create a more convenient circular route for visitors for viewing of exhibition halls. Another building of the museum is within the Garden Circle on Vorontsovo Pole street in a former church of Ilija the Profit. The first stone Annunciation Church in a village Vorontsovo was erected in 1514 on the order of Vasilij the Third who lived here in summer in Great Prince`s gardens by the famous architect Aleviso Fryazin. In 1629 there was added a church service place in honour of Iliya the Profit which in 1654 substituted a small stone double tented Ilijnskij temple. In 1702 in place of a church of 1515 a large five dome cathedral of Ilijya the Profit was built on finances of princes I.P. and M.P.Gagarin (in the museum there are stored two cast iron plates with their names).
At the end of 1740ths on the line of street Vorontsovo Pole opposite Podsosenskij side street appeared a tall three-tier above gate belfry. On the same axis with it stood stone almshouses and refectories of both churches which around 1839 were combined into one spacious refectory. Finally in 1878 architect Zykov rebuilt it again. Added above the belfry a decorative tent-shaped tier and three arches of passages under it and the wall of the fence of XVIII century decorated in pseudo Russian style. At that time there were disassembled altars of two-tent-shaped churches of 1654. In 1930-1931 for needs of the Museum of Oriental Culture there were destructed tents and cupolas of both temples and in 1935 there were disassembled the belfry and the gates. In 1965 on the place of a disassembled three apsis altar of a large temple appeared a five-storey annex and after that the building lost its primary appearance. At present there are located a depositary, a library and restoration workshops of the Museum.
Information about the foundation of the Museum.
For its 90 years` history the Museum changed several names: “Ars Asiatica” (1918-1925),the State Museum of Oriental Culture (1925-1962), the State Museum of Oriental people (1962-1992), the State Museum of Oriental Art (from 1992).
From 1818 in Petersburg existed the Asian Museum which was transformed in 1930 into the Institute of Oriental Study of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Such an oriental centre did not exist in Moscow although at the Armoury Chamber of the Kremlin, the Russian Historical Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts there were preserved valuable oriental exhibits. Only after the October Revolution it became necessary to create a specialized museum. Just at that time there was established the Commission of museums of oriental art which initiated the organization in Moscow of the museum Ars Asiatica.
The only museum in Russia specialized on storage, research and popularization of works of art of Oriental peoples was founded by the decree of the Presidium of the department on museum matters and preservation of monuments of art and relics of the past at the Peoples` Comissariat of Education from 26th October 1918. According to “the Status on the Museum of Oriental Art “Ars Asiatica” in Moscow the main tasks and functions of the Museum are “the attraction of interest and satisfaction of demands of scientists, artists, pupils, technicians and other types of specialists, acquiring of complete set of the collection with items of highest artistic value, creation of a special library from Russian and foreign editions” with purposes of fulfilling research work, organization and conducting excursions and lectures by research workers of the museum on the highest scientific level “ and in future with extension of museum activities – organization of a special research educational bureau”. In this document there was worked out the structure of the museum.
The creation of the Museum of Oriental Art is inseparably connected with general tasks of museum business at the turning period of organization of a new system of cultural institutions for Russia after the October Revolution of 1917. Protection of monuments existing before it and museum valuables became the basis of the state policy as a whole, therefore the young Soviet government from the first days of the Revolution took the course for securing safety of rich cultural heritage of mankinds` civilization accumulated by the country for many hundreds of years of its history. Only for the period from 1918 till 1923 there were founded more than 250 museums, out of which 38 in Moscow.
Those museums which were able to be preserved became the true centres on collecting, research and propaganda of monuments of history, science, technology, culture and art. One of them is the Museum of Oriental Art.
During the first 10 years of its existence several places of its location changed. Only in 1929 the building of the church of Ilijya the Profit (Vorontsovo Polje Street, House 16) was passed over to the museum; its reconstruction continued for two years. In summer 1932 the Museum of Oriental Culture finally moved into its own building which it occupies till now.
At the end of 1960 the museum faced the problem of shortage of space necessary for its normal activity. Finally the museum was granted “the House of Lunins” however its reconstruction took 14 long years. The first exhibition opened in 1984.
The main events in the history of the Museum.
The very first show of exhibits of the Museum “Ars Asiatica” was opened on the 22nd September 1919 in two halls of the Historical Museum (the Red Square, House 2). It acquainted visitors with works of art of China, Japan, Iran and gave start to fruitful activity of the Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow.
In research activities of the Museum already in 1920th the main place was occupied by the problem of research of history and culture of the Soviet East. It started in 1924 when a group of researchers with B.P.Denike at the head was sent to the ancient Central Asian town Uzgen and carried architectural-archaeological research of some famous monuments.
In 1926-1928 there was formed a big expedition which started archaeological research of old Termez, the materials of excavations are at the museum funds. However field works of museum researchers reached its height only from 1980-1990. At excavations of burial places of the epoch of early nomads in Adygeya and early Middle Ages in Northern Osetiya, Ekvensk burial place of 1st Millenlium B.C.- I Millenium A.C. on Chukotka and Buddhist Cult centre I-IV centuries A.C. on the monument Kara-tepe near Termez there were made sensational finds which acquired world fame.
It should be noted that in 1930th the primary importance in collecting, exposition and research activities of the Museum was given to art of peoples of the Soviet East. They joined the USSR in 1922 and from that time in the Caucasian, Central Asian Republics, in Siberia and the Far East the process of rapid development of all types and genres of fine, applied and folk art started the monuments of which practically missed in the collections of the Museum.
The period from the middle of 1930 till 1940 was very fruitful for the Museum. However further plans were interrupted by the war.
The first half of 1940 was the most distressing period for the Soviet people because of the Great Patriotic War. In July 1941 expositions and funds of the Museum were packed into cases and the most valuable exhibits were evacuated to Novosibirsk and Solikamsk. The personnel of the Museum was considerably reduced. Till the middle of 1942 the main attention was paid to checking of the safety of packed exhibits and already in May in the halls of the Museum was displayed the exhibition of paintings and graphic arts of artists of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. At the end of 1944 exhibits of the Museum were returned back to Moscow after evacuation. In May 1945 the Museum was one of the first which opened its permanent expositions for visitors. In 1950 there were established relations of the Museum with some foreign countries. Big collections of Chinese and Indian art were passed over to the Museum as gifts so the Museum was able not only to open and to enrich their permanent expositions of these countries but also to organize travelling exhibitions all over the country. The personnel of the Museum started to expand, thanks to young specialists who graduated from art, historical, ethnographic, archaeological faculties of universities and institutes.
In 1960th at the Museum a new stage of research work started which is connected with the increase of archaeological and purchasing expeditions which were not carried out during 1940-1950th as well as research publications and finally selection of professional research workers many of whom soon became the prominent scientists.
In 1980th first permanent expositions appeared and their designs became the model for further expositions. At this time there were created the exposition-exhibition department and completely new departments of history, of material culture and ancient art, the Central Asian department, Roerichs` study room on research of their creative heritage. The archaeological expeditions to the Northern Caucasus (Adygeya), Chukotka were organized. During this time research workers of the Central Asian department took an active part in field investigations of the Soviet-Mongolian historical cultural expedition. This period was also flourishing time for collecting activity of the Museum, their collections were almost doubled in comparison with all previous periods. At the same years there were laid “first bricks” into the foundation of the Northern Caucasian branch of the Museum in Majkop.
In October 1985 a decision on opening of the Northern Caucasian branch of the Museum of Oriental Art was accepted. The idea to organize a branch of the Moscow Museum in Majkop where would be collected, studied and propagated works of art and culture of peoples of the whole Northern Caucasus from ancient till modern times was approved in Moscow and Adygeya. Leaders of Adygeya`s autonomous republic applied with petition to the Ministry of Culture of the USSR, who in February 1987 issued and Order “On Creation of the Northern-Caucasian Branch of the State Museum of Art of peoples of the East”. For a future museum was chosen a beautiful ancient building on Pervomajskaya street. Only at the end of 1995 there was solemnly opened the first art exhibition “The Modern Art of the Northern Caucasus”. Artists, graphic artists and sculptors from 11 large cities took part in it who in all diversity of styles and genre showed to visitors the modern state of fine arts of peoples of this region.
In 1992 by the decision of the Expert Council approved and supported by the management of the Museum of Oriental Art was organized the Antique Gallery “Shon” whose supervision was taken by its research workers. It plays a very important role in replenishing collections by first rate exhibits.
The State Museum of Oriental Art is the only specialized Museum of the Russian Federation. At the present time in the collection of the Museum there are displayed monuments of art and culture of more than 100 countries and peoples of Asia and Africa. The funds of the Museum consist of more than 160 thousands of items of art and culture two thirds of which are archaeological materials. All collections are composed according to regions (the Far East, the Near and the Middle East, South-Eastern, South Central and Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Far North, the Tropical Africa and etc.), separate countries and peoples. The overwhelming majority of exhibits are original monuments dated from the Neolithic epoch till our days. The Museum has a big scientific library (more than 80 thousand books and its funds keep at times the most rare and the unique editions on oriental art in Russia).
Tasks and activities.
At different times of its activities the Museum solved different tasks: years of searches of premises, personnel, acquiring of collections, arrangement of exhibitions, excursions, lectures.
Now at the State Museum of Oriental Art there are opened and function the permanent expositions of Art of China, Korea, Japan, South-Eastern Asia, the Central Asia and Kazakhstan, the Caucasus,
N.K. and S.N. Roerichs` expositions, there are displayed temporary exhibitions of Russian and foreign artists. In 1998 the Museum opened the third turn of the permanent exposition “Art of Tibet”, “Art of Buryatiya”, “Art of Mongolia and in spring 2001 the fourth turn – “Art of India” and “Art of Iran”.
At the Museum there are arranged and conducted scientific conferences, seminars and lectures. Among the personnel of the Museum there are Doctors of Science and Honoured Workers of Art of Russia. For the last five years there were held more than 80 exhibitions which were displayed at Museum halls as well as abroad and in many Russian cities. Each exhibition was widely advertised in mass media: in press, on TV and broadcasting. Traditionally exhibitions were accompanied by picturesque posters, catalogues and booklets.
Much attention is paid to the creative activities of N.K. and S.N.Roerichs`, is functioning Department Roerich Heritage; where frequently meet Russian and foreign researchers of Roerichs`art. The Museum and the Publishing House Agni made a complete set of computer copies of a collection of Roerichs` paintings for the World catalogue, issued an album “100 paintings of N.K. and S.N.Roerich”, CD-ROM and video films about their creative activity. You can see this, buy and order it at the kiosk of our Museum. The Museum experts deliver regular lectures for children which are specialized on certain countries. Children participate in different hobby groups like “Young art researcher”, “Young archaelogist”, “Young guide”.
From the first years of its existence one of the main directions of the Museum activity was the organization of archaelogical expeditions to the Central Asia and the Caucasus. For study of ancient oriental culture in January 1981 there was created a Department of History of Material Culture and Ancient Art, started to work permanent archaelogical expeditions of the Northern-Caucasus, the Central Asia and Chukotka.
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