The Historical State Museum

At the opposite end of the square from St. Basil’s is a red – brick building, decorated with numerous spires and kokoshniki gables. This houses the Historical Museum. It was constructed by Vladimir Sherwood between 1878 and 1883 on the site where Moscow University was founded in 1755 by the Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov. When it opened in 1883, the museum had over 300,000 objects and was supported by private donations. Today the government museum contains over four million items in 48 halls that house the country’s largest archeological collection, along with manuscripts, books, coins ornaments and works of art from the Stone Age to the present day. These include birch – bark letters, clothing of Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great’s sleigh, Napoleon’s saber and the Decree on Peace written by Lenin. Within the building, the restaurant Red Square offers sumptuous old – style traditional food.