The Armory Chamber – The Armory is a separate museum located within the Kremlin. It’s one of Moscow’s oldest museums, established over 200 years ago. This armory is tasked with the production, buying and storing of all types of weapons, jewelry, as well as the Russian royal family’s various personal belongings. You could say that the museum has always been a true treasury of Russia’s most valuable artefacts. In addition to weapons and jewelry, the museum now also boasts a collection of assorted paintings.
The Armory Chamber boasts a collection containing around 8 thousand items ranging in age from the 11th to the 20th century. The museum is separated into two separate historical sections: the royal collection, containing arsenals of Russian tsars which date back to between 16th and 18th century, and the royal weapons collection which contains items from the 18th and 19th century.
The weapons displayed in the armory was sued by Russian autocrats and government representatives in war, for hunting, as well as during ceremonies and parades. Some of the articles of ceremonial weaponry are considered to be true treasures. One of these treasured items is the famous Yerikhon Cap, made in 1621 by the best craftsman of the Royal Armory, Nikita Davydov.
Firearms dating back to the 18th century, which were constructed by both Russian and foreign craftsmen, are particularly interesting for visitors. The works of Western, as well as Eastern masters, were either gifted to, or bought by, the royal family and aristocracy in general.
The saadak of the "Grand set" of Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich studded with precious stones, that was made in Istanbul in 1656 is particularly luxurious. Examples of firearms by West-European masters, such as Dutch Barent Penterman, French Claude Chasteau, Englishman John Howkins and many other famous armorers, are really splendid by their artistic decoration and high technical qualities. Archive records of XVII-XIX centuries help in estimating the age of an armory item, as well as finding out the place of its production and how it made its way into the Arsenal of Russian Tsars and Emperors.
In the early XIX century, by the order of Emperor Alexander I, both complexes were moved into the building of the newly-established museum - the Moscow Armory Chamber. The collection was further enriched both by individual contributions, as well as whole groups of armory items from the collections of M.P. Pogodin, P.F. Korobanov, and from the Armory Chamber of the Trinity-Sergios' monastery.
In the early XX century, the artillery collection of the Moscow kremlin was registered as a museum’s one. The collection, including the illustrious Tsar-Cannon, is one of the world’s biggest collections. In the second part of the XX century the works by old masters were added by best modern armorers' creations.
The works by Russian, West-European and Eastern masters are included in the collection and they allow us to trace the history of the development of world armory culture through the centuries.
Ticket price for the armory
Regular ticket price - 1000 rubles
Reduced ticket price 500 rubles - for children up to 16 years
Armory opening hours
Every day except Thursday from 10:00am to 6:00pm
The armory has a limited reception system. When buying a ticket, you must choose the time when you want to visit the armory.
Entry time is at 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm and 4:30pm.
