Private Cultural Institution «The Museum of the Russian Icon»

The Museum of the Russian Icon was established on the initiative of entrepreneur and patron Mikhail Abramov. This is a unique private collection of Byzantine and old Russian art which is officially transformed into public museum. Its status is confirmed by its inclusion into the Russian Committee ICOM and the Union of Museums of Russia. The museum complex on Taganka street was inaugurated for visitors in January of 2011. It combines two 19th – early 20th century mansions on Goncharnaya street, reconstructed and specially equipped to exhibit and keep monuments.

The Museum of the Russian Icon is the largest in Russia, known as a significant private collection of works with more than five thousand exhibits. It includes late Roman samples, early Christian and Byzantine antiquities of the 6th-14th centuries, Greek monuments, as well as the entire Museum of Ethiopian Christian Culture. The collection is based on about a thousand works of Russian icon painting, characterized by a variety of iconographs, high artistic priority and wide timeframes. The composition is based on the chronological principle that enables one to follow changes in major artistic trends and painting peculiarities of various icon painting centers over a long time period – from the formation of national style in the 14th century to the Renaissance of ancient traditions at the beginning of the 20th century.

Every day the Museum of the Russian Icon holds free sightseeing tours as well as thematic tours. Research consultants work in the museum regularly. Moreover, there is a lecture hall, where concerts and presentations are held. We are always happy to welcome all visitors to our museum who love and appreciate the Russian culture.

Since 2011 the Museum of the Russian icon has been a member of ICOM.

Since 2017 the Museum of the Russian Icon has been a member of the Union of museums of Russia.