Park of Arts Museon

The Park of Arts Museon is situated in Krymskaya Embankment near the Central House of Artist. This is the only museum of sculpture in the open air in Russia. It occupies the territory of almost 20 hectares. The idea of a museum of sculpture appeared in 1991 when Moscow government decided to dismantle the monuments to Soviet leaders such as Stalin, Sverdlov, Dzerjinsky, Kalinin, and others. Many of the monuments were created by outstanding Soviet sculptors such as E. Vuchetich, V. Mukhina, S. Merkurov. Dismantled monuments from all over Moscow were brought to Krymskaya Embankment and placed in the Park of Arts Museon. The official date of the Museum of sculpture in the open air foundation is the 24th of January, 1992, when Moscow Mayor Y. Luzhkov signed the resolution of the museum creation. Nowadays the museum collection numbers about 700 unique sculptures made of stone, wood, bronze and other materials. The collection includes the sculptures of Soviet and modern sculptors, as well as works by young talented sculptors. There are open-air museums of sculpture all over the world. But the museum in Moscow distinguishes itself by displaying works of various artistic styles, made by Russian sculptors of several generations. The museum's exposition consists of three parts: the historical department, the modern department, and the child department. In the historical department one can see many exhibits dedicated to military subject. The territory of the park is the place where child festivals and various exhibitions take place regularly. The annual sculpture symposiums are traditional for the museum. During such symposiums the sculptors create their works in visitors' presence.