Historical Museum

The State Historical Museum closes the northwest side of Red Square, opposite Saint Basil's and next to the Kremlin. Founded by decree of Alexander II in 1872, the red brick palace designed by Vladimir Sherwood opened in 1883 for the coronation of Alexander III – a manifesto of Russian Revival style with turrets, kokoshniki gables and echoes of old Muscovite churches. Its 4.5 million objects range from Scythian gold and birch-bark documents from Novgorod to Ivan the Terrible's books and a sabre Napoleon left during the Russian campaign. Each of the 39 halls has murals matched to its era. A Red Square ticket combines well, though summer crowds are dense.