Delve into the history of Soviet-era Moscow with guided visits to VDNKh and the Museum of Cosmonautics. Learn about how the USSR shaped space travel and technology and explore a government-sponsored showcase to Soviet industry that remains in use today.
Step back in time to the Soviet past on a guided tour of two important institutions meant to showcase the glory of the USSR's achievements in science and industry. First, visit the VDNKh, a massive exhibition space initially constructed in 1935. Explore the grounds of a complex which served as an ideologically-saturated testament to the glories of communism. Now an educational, cultural, and recreational center, the VDNKh maintains close ties to the Russian state and has grown to encompass an area larger than the Principality of Monaco.
Follow your guide to the Monument to the Conquerors of Space, a towering titanium obelisk built in 1964 to commemorate the launch of Sputnik. Make your way to the base of the monument to enter the Museum of Cosmonautics, which opened its doors to the public on April 10, 1981, exactly 20 years after Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth in space. Tour a retrospective exhibit on the evolution of Soviet space technologies, starting from the first satellites, followed by the first manned space flight, the first space walks, moon and solar system exploration, and international space research programs.