Zoological Museum of Moscow University

Zoological Museum of Moscow University is the oldest and largest natural history museum in Moscow. Its visitors can learn about diversity of animal kinds on our planet, while professional zoologists can find reach research collections. It began in 1791 as a Cabinet of Natural History at Moscow University in which remains of animals and plants, together with minerals and coins were kept. From the beginning of XIX century it turns out to be purely zoological. The building in which the Museum is now situated was built up in 1902, and a new public exhibition was finally arranged by 1912.

The Museum building created in 1902.

Zoological Museum of Moscow University is one of two largest zoological museums in Russia, and huge amount of its research collections makes it belonging to the first dozen of largest gatherings of such type in the world. The Museum' history is full of zoological discoveries, acquisitions of very important collections, activities of outstanding Russian zoologists and many hundreds of scientific publications. Three principal directions of its activities resulted from that history:
- gathering and keeping zoological collections which constitute a factual basis of fundamental disciplines in zoology and are a part of national heritage of Russia;
- investigations of animal diversity and origin, including their systematic and faunistic studies, evolution and taxonomy, morphology, as well as protection;
- education, including pre-school, school and university teaching, popularization of scientific knowledge in zoology, ecology, evolution by means of exhibition-based excursions and publication of popular books.

There are about 10 thousand of exhibits displayed in the Museum exposition, which covers all animal beings, from unicellulates shown by artificial models to crocodiles, tigers, and bisons. The main exhibition introduces to diversity of the world wide fauna and it is arranged systematically, with an exception of a small new display of a unique deep-water ecosystem of so called "black smokers". One exhibition hall is specially devoted to principal trends of morphological evolution.

Many works of art of outstanding Russian animal painters are shown in the foyer and exhibition halls of the Museum.

Entrance hall of the Museum

The Museum library contains about 200 thousands of items including memorial book gatherings of some famous Russian zoologists. These are scientific book, journals and separate reprints in Russian and other languages which are demanded by zoologists for their researches. Also schoolchildren and students are allowed to come to the library to become more familiar with the diversity of life.

Experienced guides can help visiting groups to learn more about animals displayed in the Museum's halls. In addition to 180-200 thousands visitors coming to the Museum annually, nearly 1700 excursions are offered covering several dozens topics in zoology.

A biological school circle is held in the Museum, and special education center "Planetarium" also acts as a forum for professional lecturers in biology, history, arts, and architecture.