Museo Paleontologico Yuri Orlov

The Paleontology Museum named after Yuri Orlov is reckoned among the world largest natural-science museums. It originates from the Kunstkammer («curiosity chamber») established by Peter the Great in Saint Petersburg. The Kunstkammer's collection was comprised of all kind of rarities including teeth and bones of ancient creatures found in different parts of the worlds. Later such exhibits were kept at the Academy of Science and then were given over to the Geological Museum. The Museum's permanent exhibition dedicated to the process of evolution on the Earth is housed in the unique museum complex that has no analogs in the world. The project was developed specially for the museum: for more than twenty years leading architects, engineers, designers and animal painters worked on the building design. The red brick building reminds of the old fortress with central inner yard, around which there are four exposition zones with four adjoined towers. The First Hall is rather introductory one and tells about the paleontology as a science. The exposition of the Second Hall tells about Precambrian and early Paleozoic and represents the first forms of life that appeared on Earth, invertebrate species and their evolution. The Forth Hall is dedicated to late Paleozoic and the beginning of the Age of Reptiles. The Fifth Hall is especially popular with the visitors as it tells about dinosaurs and treasures many skeletons of these extinct creatures. In the last Six Hall various mammals and the unique fauna of the Age of Mammals are represented. Practically all exhibits of the Museum are original or reconstructed. They are remains of the ancient organisms, skeletons of dinosaurs, first birds and mammals. The special exhibition hall (the Third Hall) is dedicated to the geological history of the place where nowadays Moscow and its suburbs are located. Exhibits that are allowed to be touched witness that 300 millions of years ago there were a warm sea settled by various organisms on the place of the present busy megapolis. The Paleontology Museum is loved by children who make the majority of the visitors. Young visitors with great interest examine giant skeletons of dinosaurs, fossil birds and large mammals. Wonderful decoration of the halls makes the exposition interesting and comprehensible even for small children. The Museum offers thematic excursions for the children of the school age and regularly holds exhibitions of kids' drawings.