Part Russian Revival, part neo-Renaissance, this red-brick beauty was built in the 1890s as the Moscow City Hall and later served as the Central Lenin Museum. It was converted into the War of 1812 Museum in honour of the war's 200-year anniversary. Artwork, documents, weapons and uniforms are all on display, with good multimedia exhibits offering a detailed depiction of the events and effects of the war.
Exhibits provide detailed, chronological coverage of all phases of the war, with good signage in English. There are also film depictions of various battles and interactive maps to enhance your understanding of events. Highlights include a series of paintings by Vasily Verechshagin entitled 1812, old film footage of Nicholas II at Borodino and Napoleon's getaway sleigh.
