I love The Museum of Russian Impressionism, because it never feels overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, I’m crazy about huge, world-famous museums where you can come back every day for a week until you’ve had a good look at all the artworks. However, sometimes it’s nice to visit a museum that can be thoroughly explored within an hour or two.
The permanent collection is 70-something paintings by Russian artists. I like the ground floor most, where the paintings actually give you a glimpse of how life was in the early 20th century. (Or so I like to believe!) The museum regularly brings in temporary exhibitions, and not necessarily Russian art.
One more thing to love about Rus Imp is the fact that it is located in a former Bolshevik chocolate factory. The factory buildings next to the museum have been renovated and converted into offices, but red bricks and chimneys still look impressive, especially next to all this glass and steel. So wander around a bit, and maybe pop into the cake shop — the relic of the Bolshevik factory days.
