Really enjoyed this museum. Art and china displays were good, gift shop was nice.
At present, they have two displays, one on paintings done during the communist period, and the other on formal china used by the emperors and empresses (tzars) of Russia.
The paintings are well displayed and well lit, and explanations are given of the artists, and often of the subjects. The impact of communism on the artist was also sometimes explained, as the emphasis here was on both art and the governments impact on it. The communist government didn't just restrict the subject matter, but also decided what art was 'good', and what art was 'bad'. Interestingly, some artists used this to their advantage, in swaying Stalin's opinions of good and bad art.
The china display was really good. There was a large amount of china on display, and the quality was amazing. There was a brief description of how china was made (including the glazing), along with a display of the materials that go into making china. There was also a display of different types of china which had been broken, to show how china types differed, depending on their materials.
The staff were friendly, and talked with us some before we visited the displays. The gift shop was well stocked, and they also had excellent complimentary tea.
We went to the Museum of Russian Art and the Science Museum of Minnesota on the same day. Enjoyed the Museum of Russian Art much more.
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