In February 2010, the architectural complex of the Moscow Novodevichy Convent, within whose walls a branch of the State Historical Museum had been located since 1934, was transferred, by order of the Government of the Russian Federation, for free, indefinite use to the Moscow Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Considering that the architectural ensemble of the ancient monastery is a popular tourist attraction and has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna blessed the organization of the Church Museum of the Moscow Diocese within the walls of the ancient monastery in 2010, appointing Abbess Margarita (Feoktistova) as its director.
The main activity of the Church Museum is to provide excursion services for pilgrims and tourists groups. The staff of the excursion bureau of the Church Museum conduct daily excursions around the Novodevichy Convent and introduce the history of the monastery.
Currently, the following are open for tourist inspection: Smolensk Cathedral (in summer) with unique frescoes and a five-tiered carved iconostasis of the 16th-17th centuries, made by the masters of the Sovereign Armory Chamber; the Assumption Church - an active church with a unique refectory chamber and magnificent interior decoration, the chapel-tomb of the Prokhorov family (in summer) with mosaics of the early 20th century; in summer, excursions are held around the monastery necropolis, which contains the graves of Russian poets, writers, historians, statesmen, public and military figures.
Since the first days of its existence, the Church Museum has been conducting exhibition activities.
Novodevichy Convent is a unique monument of world culture, protected by UNESCO.
The museum is open daily from 09.00 to 17.30.
Entrance to the territory for all pilgrimage, excursion groups and foreign tourists is paid.
Cost of excursion services:
| Adults (excursion ticket for groups with certified guides) | 500 rubles/person. |
| Adults (entrance to the museum exhibition) | 500 rubles/person. |
| Foreign tourists (entrance to the monastery territory with a visit to the museum exhibition) | 1000 rubles/person. |
| Concessionary categories: schoolchildren, students, pensioners of the Russian Federation, large families, disabled people and veterans of military operations (excursion ticket for groups with certified guides) | 300 rubles/person. |
| Preferential categories, including schoolchildren, war veterans, disabled people of groups I and II (entrance to the museum exposition) | FREE |
| Families with many children (entrance to the museum exposition) every Sunday | FREE |
| The right to conduct an excursion for certified guides (for a group of up to 15 people) | 1,000 rubles + the cost of entrance tickets |
| Sightseeing tour of the Novodevichy Convent with a visit to the museum exposition or Smolensk Cathedral (outside of church services) in a group of 5 people or more (a group of less than 5 people pays the full cost of the excursion) |
1,000 rubles. /person. 500 rubles/person discounted; 1,500 rubles/person for foreigners |
| Entrance ticket for tourists to the Smolensk Cathedral (outside of church services) | 500 rubles/person; 300 rubles/person discounted; 1,000 rubles/person. for foreigners |
| Professional photography and video shooting by prior arrangement with the museum management | |
Tours of the territory can only be conducted by guides from the Church Museum, as well as city guides and guide-interpreters who have a Church Museum certification card.
For information and excursion bookings, call: +7(915)188-90-66 (except Mon. and Tue.) +7(499)245-29-54
The sightseeing tour includes a tour of the monastery grounds, an introduction to its history and architecture, as well as a tour of one of the Museum exhibitions, or the Assumption Church, or (in summer) the Smolensk Cathedral.
