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Musical Instrument Museum provides free arts education, online and in-person

The Musical Instrument Museum streams live tours and concerts about music, science and culture to millions of people each year for a fee. 

But a $7,500 Season for Sharing grant supports free access to the virtual programs for more than 5,000 children who attend under-resourced schools in Maricopa County. Additionally, field trips for students from low-income schools are provided with free admission into the museum.

The Musical Instrument Museum opened in 2010 and features permanent galleries organized by geography, containing items culled from collectors, instrument makers and musicians. There also are the hands-on Experience Gallery and the Mechanical Music Gallery, which features instruments that play themselves. 

READ MORE: Renowned violin maker keeps MIM instruments playable.

Immersive galleries play music from more than 200 countries. Galleries are dedicated to celebrity musicians, mechanical musical instruments and hands-on exhibits.

The newest exhibit, "Treasures: Legendary Musical Instruments," opened in the fall and continues through September 2023. It features a curated collection of more than 80 notable instruments from around the world.

Some instruments in the collection go back through 6,000 years of history, including an ancient Chinese ceramic drum.

SEASON FOR SHARING: Full list of 2021-22 grantees here .

The MIM also has a concert space where national and international artists perform. More recent collaborative projects include working with families with special needs children and seniors living with memory loss.

The 2021 Season for Sharing campaign raised $1.8 million for 164 Arizona charities, including MIM. The annual grant-making effort was created in 1993 by the Arizona Republic/azcentral. In that time, more than $72 million has been donated to charities around the state that help struggling children and families, older adults and students and teachers. 

Donations to Season for Sharing are accepted year-round. Make online donations at sharing.azcentral.com or by texting SHARING to 91-999.

Details: Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix. 480-478-6000,  mim.org . 

Roxanne De La Rosa covers Arizona's nonprofit community. Reach her at [email protected] .

Take an Inspiring Virtual Tour Through These Phoenix Museums

Table of Contents

While you may not be able to go see some of your favorite art exhibits because of the quarantine, you can still enjoy the pleasure of seeing them online. The city of Phoenix has taken to the internet to bring you digital experiences from some of the most well-known museums in the valley. Enjoy a few virtual tours of Phoenix museums from home.

Musical Instrument Museum

With more than 7,000 instruments from over 200 countries on display, the Musical Instrument Museum (aka the MIM) is perfect for all of the music lovers out there. During your tour of this museum in Phoenix, see if you can spot instruments from famous musical acts such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Maroon 5, and more.

Phoenix Art Museum

Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, taking a virtual tour through the Phoenix Art Museum will have you taking a virtual tour of the largest art museum in the southwestern United States. There are more than 200,000 pieces and while you may not be able to see every single one online, it’s still a great way to get in your art fix. Also, be sure to check out their Facebook and Instagram where they highlight art on a daily basis.

Herberger Theater Center

The Herberger Theater Center takes pride in keeping performing arts prevalent in Arizona. To ensure you can view art throughout the health crisis, this Phoenix museum has created a 360-degree virtual tour of two different exhibits, “In Celebration of Women” and “Candid.”

Japanese Friendship Garden

The Japanese Friendship Garden is bringing a little slice of Japan to your living room every day with live tours every day on their Facebook page. On the tours, you’ll be able to spot more than 1,500 tons of hand-picked rock, stone bridges, lanterns, and 50 varieties of plants. You might even be able to see the tea garden and tea house.

Taliesin West

Frank Lloyd Wright made a name for himself as one of the world’s most well-known architects. He built Taliesin West in Scottsdale in 1937 and the site has since then become a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark. The virtual tour shows just how Wright was inspired by the desert and how he incorporated it into his work.

Arizona Science Center

With the spread of COVID-19, learning about science is of uttermost importance these days. Luckily, the Arizona Science Center is offering virtual tours where you can learn all about health and wellness. This museum in Phoenix is also offering arts and craft projects that you can do with kids and live storytime on their social media.

OdySea Aquarium

With over 6,000 species, the OdySea Aquarium is making it easy for you to keep up with all of the animals and fishes alike. Watch videos of otters playing around, penguins parading around the aquarium, and even see how the sharks are holding up during quarantine.

Hall of Flame Fire Museum

The Hall of Flame Fire Museum, aka the world’s largest fire museum, has taken to YouTube to give you an overview of all of their exhibits so you don’t miss out. The exhibits provided by this museum in Phoenix include over 90 pieces that have been recovered from fires including helmets, extinguishers, firetrucks, and more.

About Author

Riley Schnepf

Riley Schnepf is a fifth-generation Arizonian who enjoys exploring the city for the next up-and-coming restaurant or Instagram-worthy coffee shop. After she graduated from ASU with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and English Lit, she began writing for her own travel and lifestyle blog and quickly began a career in freelance writing. Since then, she has ghostwritten for a travel blogger with over 500k followers, marketing agencies, and everyone in between. One day, she hopes to be a best-selling author, but for now, she’s here to help you navigate the city of Phoenix.

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Home › Music Education Resources › Virtual Concerts & Tours › Virtual Concerts & Tours Catalog

Virtual Concerts & Tours Catalog

Chamber music society.

Watch, listen, and interact with New York’s Chamber Music Society. Explore their recordings, enjoy music videos, and watch on demand here.

GRAMMY MUSEUM

The GRAMMY Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating a greater understanding of the history and significance of music through exhibits, education, grants, preservation initiatives, and public programming.

THE KENNEDY CENTER

Watch extraordinary performances from the Kennedy Center’s stages and beyond, with new releases on their digital stage daily, special series and original stories. Explore the vast collection of thousands of videos – musical theater, dance, music, and special performances. In Arts Across America , the Kennedy Center collaborates with arts organizations from across the country to provide free, online programming every week.

Led by Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, this internationally renowned orchestra harnesses the transformative power of live music to build community, foster intellectual and artistic growth, and nurture the creative spirit. Watch and listen to concerts, podcasts, recordings, radio broadcasts, lessons, and more from home!

Reside in Los Angeles? Check out the LA Phil’s Learning Programs and education opportunities for students.

THE METROPOLITAN OPERA

Enjoy a free, live audio stream of a Met Opera production, available online. Want to teach opera in your classroom or learn more about opera for students? See the Met Opera’s education website with more information and free resources.

MUSEUM OF MAKING MUSIC

The Museum of Making Music – a program division of the NAMM Foundation – explores the accomplishments and impact of the music products industry through exhibitions and programs, and directly connects visitors with live music and music making opportunities.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM

Located in Phoenix, the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) enriches our world by collecting, preserving, and making accessible an astonishing variety of musical instruments and diverse performance videos from every country in the world. Check out the MIM’s Youtube channel for free exhibit tours and performances.

QWEST TV EDU, THE QUINCY JONES MUSIC VIDEO RESOURCE

Qwest TV EDU is Quincy Jones’ music video resource dedicated to educational institutions with 1300+ concerts and documentary films in jazz, soul, funk, classical, and world music. The platform preserves the richness of history, while reflecting the present-day beauty and reality of culturally and racially diverse people.

The materials have already aided cultural learning at many prestigious libraries and institutions including Berklee College of Music, McGill University, The New School and many more. “We want each kid and student to be able to freely explore their musical history by rediscovering their roots, both through jazz and beyond.” – co-founder Quincy Jones

THE SOCIAL DISTANCING FESTIVAL

This online community was created to celebrate and showcase the work of the many artists around the world who have been affected by the need for social distancing. Live stream performances and free archived recordings of diverse music, visual arts, dance, and theatre.

STAX MUSUEM & STAX MUSIC ACADEMY

The Soulsville Foundation’s Stax Museum of American Soul Music’s Black History Month Virtual Tour and Stax Music Academy Virtual Concert offer educators the chance to share these experiences at no cost with thousands of students. Both offer live music, historical information, nods to the Civil Rights Movement, and tributes to Black American Music.

Call us:  1.800.4.WENGER (493-6437)

Email  us:  [email protected]

Home » Teacher Resources » Virtual Field Trips for Your Music Class

Virtual Field Trips for Your Music Class

Virtual Field Trips are a fun way to introduce students to music history, unusual instruments, diverse performances, and a wide range of musical styles. They work well on “down” days, when you’ve just finished up a concert, and they can also be used as easy sub plans for when you have a non-music sub. We’ve collected 10 of our favorite resources for virtual field trips below. There is something here for all age levels and music subjects, from general music to high school ensembles. If you have a favorite virtual field trip resource that we missed, share it with us in the comments, we’d love to hear about it. If you find this resource helpful, we’d love it if you would share it with your friends and colleagues online, or on social media. Thank you!

THE KENNEDY CENTER EDUCATION VIRTUAL PERFORMANCES

WHO: The Kennedy Center produces “virtual performances” for ages 3 and up, but most are geared toward elementary aged students. Teachers will need to register for upcoming performances, but there are also some on-demand video performances as well. In addition to these performances, The Kennedy Center hosts a large library of high quality educational videos for all grade levels, on topics ranging from Hip Hop culture to Great Composers and everything in between. These can be found in their Digital Resource library here: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/collections/ WEBSITE: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/virtual-performances/

“Engage your students with the arts and artists from Kennedy Center Education through our growing collection of on-demand virtual performances, presentations, and events.”

COST: Pre-recorded and on-demand performances – FREE

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM

WHO: The Musical Instrument Museum (located in Phoenix, AZ) offers virtual field trips via on-demand video series for grades K-12. Videos come with activities and educator guides, some with a STEM focus. WEBSITE: https://mim.org/virtual-education-programs/

“Each field trip video collection is designed to support a dynamic learning experience for students to explore world cultures, discover MIM’s galleries, and create music through 50+ minutes of tour videos and activities. Educator guide with standards is included!”

COST: Starting at $3/video or $12/collection for stand alone videos of museum displays Cost per virtual field trip video collection: $75 per classroom $200 per school (3+ classrooms up to 500 students) $1,000 per district (501+ students up to a full district) Free access may be available to students from Title I schools and programs

MUSEUM OF MAKING MUSIC

WHO: The Museum of Making Music offers pre-scheduled virtual field trips for grades K-5, including STEAM focused options such as “The Science of Sound” and “The Language of Music.” WEBSITE: Virtual Field Trip (museumofmakingmusic.org)

“You’re invited on a musical journey through the Museum of Making Music! The Museum’s Virtual field trip program includes a tour of the Museum galleries (K-3) as well as three STEAM Units (1-5), and support documents for your classroom.”

COST: Virtual field trips are available to individual classrooms for $25 or $50 per grade level or $150 per school site.

INSIDE THE ORCHESTRA

WHO: Inside the Orchestra for Schools offers pre-recorded, hybrid, and live virtual field trips for grades K-8. Topics include a tour of the orchestra, high and low instruments, musical storytelling and more. WEBSITE: Virtual Field Trips – Inside the Orchestra

“No field trips? No problem. Virtual Field Trips will bring music and art directly to you and your students! Programming carefully designed by professional musicians and educators to optimize the child’s experience. Inside the Orchestra won “Best Classical Music Education in Denver” for virtual programming in 2020.”

COST: Pre-recorded virtual field trip – $50 Hybrid virtual field trip – with pre-recorded videos and live host – $80 Fully live virtual field trip – guided session with musician – $120

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME

WHO: The Country Music Hall of Fame offers both live and on-demand virtual field trips for grades 2-12. To access the on-demand field trips, you will need to fill out a “registration” and the links will be sent to your email address once you submit the form. For more information about “live” virtual field trips, you can email [email protected] . WEBSITE: https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/learn/distance-virtual-learning

“All virtual programs and supporting lesson materials address Tennessee and national education standards, with a focus on Fine Arts/Music, Social Studies/History, English Language Arts, STEAM, and Social and Emotional Learning.”

COST: Pre-recorded virtual field trip – FREE Fully live virtual field trip (led live by museum educators) – $125 and up

LINCOLN CENTER: CONCERTS FOR KIDS

WHO: The Lincoln Center has a fantastic library of on-demand concerts tailored especially for students. They are shorter performances (around 30 minutes) with educational introductions and information about the performance. Performing groups are very diverse and include dance, theatre, world music, vocal, instrumental and more. Many could be easily tied in with cross-curricular units. WEBSITE: http://lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/series/concertsforkids

“Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is teaming up with a remarkable group of artists who will bring world-class performances and diverse musical perspectives straight from their homes to yours. We’re excited to share these short performances recorded by the artists themselves.”

COST: Pre-recorded performances – FREE

MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC

WHO: The Manhattan School of Music offers a wide variety of virtual field trips, led by teaching artists. They also offer ensemble coaching virtually for choirs, concert bands, orchestras, chamber groups, jazz bands, and musical theater productions. Everything is booked through a third-party site called the Center for Interactive Learning. WEBSITE: https://www.cilc.org/ContentProvider/ViewContentProvider.aspx?id=99

“With over a decade of experience in the field of distance learning and as the first conservatory in the nation to utilize videoconferencing for K-12 music education, Manhattan School of Music has adopted the key elements of presenting successful music education programs via videoconference. In addition to giving students access to world-class musicians and stimulating artistic perspectives, Manhattan School of Music ensures that the quality of videoconference transmissions are of the highest technical standards possible.”

COST: Prices vary depending on the program but they range from $100 to $300.

DELTA BLUES MUSEUM

WHO: The Delta Blues Museum has a great collection of short (most are between 2 and 10 minutes) videos, virtual field trips, and interactive “explore and learn” programs. These could be used for any grade level with appropriate teacher involvement. WEBSITE: Field Trips and Virtual Tours: https://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/field-trip-tour.aspx Interactive Educational Programs: https://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/explore-learn.aspx

“Since its creation, the Delta Blues Museum has preserved, interpreted and encouraged a deep interest in the story of the blues. Established in 1979 by the Carnegie Library Board of Trustees and re-organized as a stand-alone museum in 1999, the Delta Blues Museum is the state’s oldest music museum.”

COST: FREE (they do accept donations on their website)

PBS LEARNING

WHO: If you haven’t already discovered the PBS Learning website, be prepared to lose track of time exploring all the available content. There are hundreds of educational videos on every topic imaginable, but just searching “music” will yield about 200 results. The videos are appropriate for a wide range of ages, so you will have to sift through to find what will work for your students. Teachers can also create an account to gain access to additional lesson planning and organizational resources. WEBSITE: https://pbslearningmedia.org/

“Bring the World to Your Classroom. Your local affiliate and PBS have curated FREE, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for teachers like you.”

CENTER FOR INTERACTIVE LEARNING

WHO: This is the same entity that was mentioned above in the Manhattan School of Music section. They also offer other virtual field trips hosted by a range of musical ensembles and organization. The site is expansive, so you’ll need to search based on the age of your students, and your budget. WEBSITE: https://www.cilc.org/Home

“CILC partners with world renowned museums, zoos, science centers, experts, and more, to connect individuals to live, interactive, virtual visits that inspire learning.”

COST: Pricing ranges from FREE to $300 depending on the program selected.

You’ve Found The Place For Ideas, Information, & Inspiration!

We are very excited to launch our Teacher Resources page at Wenger. Of course, you’ve known Wenger since you sat down in your very first student chair or sang your heart out standing on the choir room risers. Now as an educator, you’re teaching and inspiring young musicians every day, and we’d love to help. You can subscribe, or follow us on social channels so you never miss a post.

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ABOUT WENGER CORPORATION

Contact wenger corporation.

Address: 555 Park Drive Owatonna, MN, 55060 Email Us: [email protected] Phone: 507-455-4100 Toll-free 800-493-6437 Canada 800-268-0148 Worldwide +1 507-455-4100

Search the collections online

As part of the Royal Museums of Art and History, MIM's collections can be searched through the online museum catalogue Carmentis.

Carmentis offers a full text or simple search option as well as an advanced search that allows the user to focus on a specific collection and/or set of objects of your interest. The user can generate overviews of the collections with online material by selecting the collection dropdown list in the advanced search module. Filtering options allow the user to search on object descriptions with or without image or to select a term from the structured thesauri and...

Carmentis offers a full text or simple search option as well as an advanced search that allows the user to focus on a specific collection and/or set of objects of your interest. The user can generate overviews of the collections with online material by selecting the collection dropdown list in the advanced search module. Filtering options allow the user to search on object descriptions with or without image or to select a term from the structured thesauri and dropdown lists.

To obtain only the collections of the mim, you just have to select Musical instruments collection in the Carmentis advanced search.

The mim is an active member of the MIMO project . "Musical Instrument Museums Online"'s aim is to create a single access point to digital content and information on the collections of musical instruments held in European museums. MIMO is part of the broader Europeana project.

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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