In one of our last issues, we already gave a review of the most popular cultural sites in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Today we want to tell you about the largest natural history museum in Europe – the State Darwin Museum.
The museum’s richest exhibition consists of more than 400,000 items and tells us about the evolution theory development history, the diversity of life on Earth, variation and heredity, natural selection and struggle for existence in nature.
Today it is one of the most popular museum complexes in the capital of Russia. More than 600,000 people visit it every year. Now we will tell you how the Darwin Museum was founded and why you should definitely visit it when in Moscow.
Story behind
The Darwin Museum was founded on October 7, 1907 by biologist Aleksandr Kots. Interestingly, the year when the scientist was invited to teach the Darwinian theory to the attendees of the Higher Women's Courses is considered the date of its foundation. The museum exhibition started with a rich personal collection of rare taxidermied animals that Kots collected from the very beginning of his research.
Aleksandr Kots’ wife, zoologist Nadezhda Lodygina shared his passion for science and helped him make and organize the museum collection.
Initially, the Darwin Museum had no building of its own. As the number of exhibits was increasing, the issue of construction of a separate museum building with storage and exhibition rooms was getting more and more pressing. However, the museum managed to implement the construction project only in 1994.
About the exhibitions
The exhibition areas are 5,000 m². The exhibitions presented at the museum cover a huge area of scientific knowledge of the evolution process, the diversity of life on Earth, variation and heredity of species, natural selection and struggle for existence.
Interestingly, the museum collections consist not only of the taxidermied animals and fossil remains of animals, including extinct ones, but also of the works of art by animal painters and sculptors. There is an outstanding collection of natural history books, including rare and unique copies of On theOrigin of Species by Charles Darwin and The History of Snakes and Dragons by Ulisse Aldrovandi.
Today the museum makes active use of the interactive multimedia models. Visitors have access to the halls with the moving animal models, audio- and video transmissions, living insects, attractions, and quests. Every week you can attend lectures and meet well-known scientists and travelers at the Darwin Museum venues.
Darwin Museum
10:00 - 18:00 every day, except Mondays
57, Vavilova Street, Moscow, 117292
