Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow: photos, how to get there

The Aptekarsky Ogorod botanical garden in Moscow is the oldest in the country, it is one of the main garden and park attractions of the capital, an architectural and cultural monument.

It was opened in 1706 by decree of Peter I: at first - as an apothecary garden for growing various plants for medicinal needs, it was created and expanded according to the type of European medical gardens.

The Botanical Garden of Moscow State University is located near the center of Moscow, Komsomolskaya Square (the square of three railway stations), as well as the Catherine Garden. The Museum of the Silver Age operates on its territory.

© Katerina Solosyatova

Plant collection

Carnivorous plants are of particular interest to visitors. Here you can see not only the well-known sundew, but also about 200 more representatives of carnivorous flora: butterwort, heliamphora and cephalothus, as well as other plants that are dangerous for flies and even small rodents.

The exhibition of orchids in the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University is no less popular; it takes place in the format of a winter festival (from December to March).

On the territory of the “Apothecary Garden” you can see rare succulent plants (desert flora), park prickly pears, dracaenas, agaves and other plants.

The exact flowering schedule of plants can be found on the website.

There is also a store on the territory of the botanical garden where you can purchase a variety of tropical plants for your home.

© Katerina Solosyatova

How much does it cost to travel on the MCC?

The fare on the MCC is the same as on the metro. You can use “90 minutes”, “United” tickets and the “Troika” card.

When transferring to a metro station and back, you must keep your ticket - you will need it to enter. If you do not save your ticket, you will have to pay again, and the fare will double. The number of transfers in one trip is not limited, only the time is limited: you need to make a trip with a transfer in 90 minutes.

What is important is that the MCC has all the social benefits that can be used on the metro - federal and Moscow.

For more information, read: How to pay for travel on the Moscow metro

Prices in the botanical garden "Apothecary Garden" in 2021

• Full ticket - 300 rubles;
• Discount ticket (pupils, students, pensioners and disabled people 3rd grade) - 200 rubles; on working Monday from 10:00 to 12:00 - free.

You can also purchase an annual subscription to the botanical garden for 4,000 rubles and visit it an unlimited number of times.

Students, graduate students and employees of Moscow State University can visit the botanical garden for free. A complete list of categories of citizens entitled to free entry is on the official website of the Aptekarsky Ogorod botanical garden in Moscow.

© Anna Abrosimova

If you want to visit the botanical garden on an excursion, you will need to purchase a special excursion ticket:

• On weekdays during the day (until 17.00):

Excursion ticket - 450 rubles

Discount excursion ticket - 300 rubles

• On weekends and holidays during the day (until 17.00):

Excursion ticket - 500 rubles

Discount excursion ticket - 350 rubles

• In the evening (after 17.00):

Excursion ticket - 700 rubles (no benefits provided)

Detailed price list for excursions is on the website. The duration of the excursion is 1 hour.

Ticket prices for special events at the Apothecary Garden start at 700 rubles. They can be purchased online.

© Tatyana Kvichanskaya

Stock greenhouse

The stock greenhouse of the Botanical Garden is notable for the fact that it is located in a huge glass structure the height of a 10-story building. In the evening, the greenhouse glows with illumination, like a huge alien ship. Inside there is one of the largest collections of tropical and subtropical plants in Europe. There are more than a thousand species of orchids alone, and the total exhibition includes more than five thousand plants, including over two hundred coastal and aquatic plants.

Access to the Stock Greenhouse building is available as part of an organized excursion, which can be purchased on our website.

Opening hours of the "Apothecary Garden" in Moscow

The Botanical Garden of Moscow State University is open to visitors every day from 10:00 to 21:00, the ticket office closes half an hour earlier.

On event days (Friday - Sunday), the garden can be open during shortened hours - until 20:00. In such cases, the ticket office is only open until 19:30.

The garden may be closed during inclement weather, during a storm warning or severe thaw, or for periods of time during the day for special events. The administration recommends checking the opening hours for a specific day by calling the help desk.

© Katerina Solosyatova

Opening hours of the Moscow Central Circle

The operating hours of the Moscow Central Circle are tied to the operation of the metro. The MCC is open from 5:30 to 1:00.

Departure schedule of the first and last trains:

Movement clockwise (1 way)

Station	First train	Last (weekdays)	Last (weekend)	Follows to the station
Nizhny Novgorod	5:57	0.27	0.21	Panfilovskaya
		0.15	0.09	Baltic
		23.39	23.33	Andronovka
Novokhokhlovskaya	5:59	0.29	0.23	Panfilovskaya
		0.17	0.11	Baltic
		23.41	23.35	Andronovka
Ugreshskaya	6:01	0.31	0.25	Panfilovskaya
		0.19	0.13	Baltic
		23.43	23.37	Andronovka
Dubrovka	5:52	0.34	0.28	Panfilovskaya
		0.22	0.16	Baltic
		23.46	23.40	Andronovka
Avtozavodskaya	5:54	0.36	0.30	Panfilovskaya
		0.24	0.18	Baltic
		23.48	23.42	Andronovka
ZIL	5:56	0.38	0.32	Panfilovskaya
		0.26	0.20	Baltic
		23.50	23.44	Andronovka
Verkhniye Kotly	5:59	0.41	0.35	Panfilovskaya
		0.29	0.23	Baltic
		23.53	23.47	Andronovka
Crimean	6:01	0.43	0.37	Panfilovskaya
		0.31	0.25	Baltic
		23.55	23.49	Andronovka
Gagarin Square	6:05	0.47	0.41	Panfilovskaya
		0.35	0.29	Baltic
		23.59	23.53	Andronovka
Luzhniki	5:56	0.50	0.44	Panfilovskaya
		0.38	0.32	Baltic
		0.02	23.56	Andronovka
Kutuzovskaya	6:00	0.54	0.48	Panfilovskaya
		0.42	0.36	Baltic
		0.06	00.00	Andronovka
Business center	6:02	0.56	0.50	Panfilovskaya
		0.44	0.38	Baltic
		0.08	0.02	Andronovka
Shelepikha	6:04	0.58	0.52	Panfilovskaya
		0.46	0.40	Baltic
		0.10	0.04	Andronovka
Khoroshevo	6:07	1:01	0.55	Panfilovskaya
		0.49	0.43	Baltic
		0.13	0.07	Andronovka
Sorge	6:09	1:03	0.57	Panfilovskaya
		0.51	0.45	Baltic
		0.15	0.09	Andronovka
Panfilovskaya	6:11	0.53	0.47	Baltic
		0.17	0.11	Andronovka
Streshnevo	6:14	0.56	0.50	Baltic
		0.20	0.14	Andronovka
Baltic	5:52	0.22	0.16	Andronovka
		23.47	23.41	Panfilovskaya
Koptevo	5:56	0.26	0.20	Andronovka
Likhobory	5:59	0.29	0.23	Andronovka
		23.54	23.48	Panfilovskaya
District	6:02	0.32	0.26	Andronovka
		23.56	23.50	Panfilovskaya
Vladykino	5:53	0.35	0.29	Andronovka
		23.59	23.53	Panfilovskaya
Botanical Garden	5:57	0.39	0.33	Andronovka
		0.03	23.57	Panfilovskaya
Rostokino	5:48	0.42	0.36	Andronovka
		0.06	00.00	Panfilovskaya
White stone	5:50	0.44	0.38	Andronovka
		0.09	0.03	Panfilovskaya
		23.57	23.51	Baltic
Rokossovsky Boulevard	5:53	0.47	0.41	Andronovka
		0.12	0.06	Panfilovskaya
		00.00	23.54	Baltic
Locomotive	5:55	0.49	0.43	Andronovka
		0.14	0.08	Panfilovskaya
		0.02	23.56	Baltic
Izmailovo	5:58	0.52	0.46	Andronovka
		0.16	0.10	Panfilovskaya
		0.04	23.58	Baltic
Falcon Hill	6:00	0.54	0.48	Andronovka
		0.18	0.12	Panfilovskaya
		0.06	00.00	Baltic
Highway Enthusiasts	5:51	0.57	0.51	Andronovka
		0.21	0.15	Panfilovskaya
		0.09	0.03	Baltic
Andronovka	5:54	0.24	0.18	Panfilovskaya
		0.12	0.06	Baltic

Counterclockwise movement (2nd way)

Station	First train	Last (weekdays)	Last (weekend)	Follows to the station
Andronovka	6.00	0.18	0.36	Baltic
		23.30	23.48	Nizhny Novgorod
Highway Enthusiasts	6:02	0.20	0.38	Baltic
		23.32	23.50	Nizhny Novgorod
Falcon Hill	5:53	0.23	0.41	Baltic
		23.35	23.53	Nizhny Novgorod
Izmailovo	5:55	0.25	0.43	Baltic
		23.37	23.55	Nizhny Novgorod
Locomotive	5:58	0.28	0.46	Baltic
		23.40	23.58	Nizhny Novgorod
Rokossovsky Boulevard	6:00	0.30	0.48	Baltic
		23.42	00.00	Nizhny Novgorod
White stone	6:03	0.33	0.51	Baltic
		23.45	0.03	Nizhny Novgorod
Rostokino	6:05	0.35	0.53	Baltic
		23.47	0.05	Nizhny Novgorod
Botanical Garden	6:08	0.38	0.56	Baltic
		23.50	0.08	Nizhny Novgorod
Vladykino	6:00	0.42	1.00	Baltic
		23.54	0.12	Nizhny Novgorod
District	6:03	0.45	1:03	Baltic
		23.57	0.15	Nizhny Novgorod
Likhobory	6:05	0.47	1:05	Baltic
		23.59	0.17	Nizhny Novgorod
Koptevo	6:09	0.51	1:09	Baltic
		0.03	0.21	Nizhny Novgorod
Baltic	5:47	0.06	0.24	Nizhny Novgorod
Streshnevo	5:50	0.08	0.26	Nizhny Novgorod
Panfilovskaya	5:53	0.11	0.29	Nizhny Novgorod
Sorge	5:55	0.13	0.31	Nizhny Novgorod
Khoroshevo	5:57	0.15	0.33	Nizhny Novgorod
		23.39	23.57	Baltic
Shelepikha	6:00	0.18	0.36	Nizhny Novgorod
		23.43	0.01	Baltic
Business center	5:50	0.20	0.38	Nizhny Novgorod
		23.45	0.03	Baltic
Kutuzovskaya	5:52	0.22	0.40	Nizhny Novgorod
		23.47	0.05	Baltic
Luzhniki	5:56	0.26	0.44	Nizhny Novgorod
		23.50	0.08	Baltic
Gagarin Square	5:59	0.29	0.47	Nizhny Novgorod
		23.54	0.12	Baltic
Crimean	5:52	0.34	0.52	Nizhny Novgorod
		23.58	0.16	Baltic
Verkhniye Kotly	5:54	0.36	0.54	Nizhny Novgorod
		00.00	0.18	Baltic
ZIL	5:57	0.39	0.57	Nizhny Novgorod
		0.03	0.21	Baltic
Avtozavodskaya	5:48	0.42	1.00	Nizhny Novgorod
		0.06	0.24	Baltic
Dubrovka	5:50	0.44	1:02	Nizhny Novgorod
		0.08	0.26	Baltic
Ugreshskaya	5:53	0.47	1:05	Nizhny Novgorod
		0.11	0.29	Baltic
Novokhokhlovskaya	5:55	0.49	1:07	Nizhny Novgorod
		0.14	0.32	Baltic
Nizhny Novgorod	5:57	0.16	0.34	Baltic

Special Events

In the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University, various master classes and lectures are constantly held, as well as several leisure sections: a theater studio that develops acting skills and stage speech, a club for lovers of pottery art, where you can work on a pottery wheel, and a color-making studio, where you can make your own make a card from natural pressed flowers.

Every year in the summer, traditional music seasons are held here with open-air classical music concerts, jazz festivals, and musical performances.

© Anna Abrosimova

Rose garden

Among the flower arrangements, the leading place is occupied by the rose garden, founded in the early 60s. Already in the first year of the garden’s existence, the “Morning of Moscow” variety, bred by Soviet breeders, received a prize at an exhibition in West Germany. One of the most beautiful rose gardens in Europe occupies an area of ​​2.5 hectares and is represented by a regular garden with a free layout of plant placement. The flower garden is surrounded on three sides by an oak grove, reliably protecting the delicate buds from winds and bad weather. In Soviet times, the rose garden exhibition included more than 5 thousand plants, representing several hundred different varieties.

The long-term history of the existence of the rose garden in the Botanical Garden has shown that in the conditions of the middle zone there are enough opportunities for the cultivation of rose bushes. In 2009, the rose garden was updated and reconstructed, the exhibition was replenished with thousands of new plants from the best European nurseries. All sectors of the rose garden are connected by a single lawn covering. When planting roses, special attention is paid to their arrangement in groups depending on the combination of colors and shades. The rose garden of the State Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences presents the most resistant to low temperatures varieties. The main objective of the exhibition is to promote the best specimens suitable for reproduction in mid-latitude conditions.

The opening hours of the rose garden are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on all days except Mondays. The rose exhibition is open to the public during the warm season, from mid-May to mid-October.

VDNH: what to see today

Nowadays, the exhibition has become truly grandiose. There is no way to get around it in one day. Pavilions have opened, various exhibitions, interactive programs for children and more are constantly being organized.

VDNKh invariably becomes one of the venues for Moscow festivals: “Journey to Christmas”, “Ice Cream Festival”, etc. You can often see your own themed events here.

Skating rink at VDNKh

The skating rink rightfully belongs to the attractions of VDNKh. Twenty and a half thousand square meters of ice, three locker rooms, skate rentals and sharpening, five cafes and first aid stations - all this awaits those who decide to have a blast in this iconic place. There can be five thousand people skating at the skating rink at the same time, and although so many people have never been there before, it has reached 4,500 thousand, and 20,000 people a day is no longer surprising.

The most famous Moscow troupes hold free ice shows at the skating rink, trainers teach children and adults how to skate, and games are held on the hockey rink. In the evening, the skating rink is illuminated, and skating among fancy architectural structures, illuminated trees and sculptures becomes fabulous.

History of VDNH

The history of the exhibition resembles an action-packed novel in which everything is found: funny and tragic, a reflection of universal lies and unparalleled heroism.
VSKhV was created to create the illusion of prosperity in a state where the peasantry was systematically destroyed, and an unprecedented famine claimed thousands of lives. Pavilions dedicated to the Union republics and individual “achievements” broadcast propaganda that could not deceive anyone. However, from the very beginning, the exhibition area became fantastically popular. People came here to walk and admire the architecture, and made appointments and appointments.

During the Great Patriotic War, there was an enterprise here that produced motorcycles for the army, and an intelligence and counterintelligence school, the achievement of whose graduates was the liquidation of more than fifty saboteurs in Moscow. And back in 1941, the film “The Pig Farm and the Shepherd” was filmed here.

Under Khrushchev, the exhibition was renamed VDNKh and served as a bright and spectacular facade on which the “achievements” of not only agriculture, but also industry were broadcast. Under Brezhnev, exhibitions of foreign socialist countries began to appear on the territory. And under Gorbachev, having undergone a new renaming to the All-Russian Exhibition Center, VDNKh turned into a giant market with endless kebab shops. It was then that several pavilions were damaged. The reason was the abolition of government funding, which led to the need to rent out priceless exhibition space to trade enterprises. Finally, since 2014, the All-Russian Exhibition Center, again renamed VDNKh on the initiative of Muscovites, has again become an exhibition and a place for walks and entertainment. There are many permanent exhibitions and exhibitions are held here (schedule on the website https://vdnh.ru/events/).

Port at VDNH

“What kind of port could there be? - the visitor will ask. “After all, there is no river nearby!” But nothing can deter beach lovers. Therefore, a summer city beach opened on an area of ​​one and a half hectares. Here, lovers of soaking up the sun will find four swimming pools, a sun lounger area, restaurants and other entertainment.

There is also everything that sports fans will like: courts for beach volleyball and workout (physical education using bars, horizontal bars, monkey bars, etc.), a table tennis area and, of course, the opportunity to swim to your heart's content in the pool.

Those who prefer art will love the opportunity to paint en plein air, listen to live jazz or dance all night on the dance floor.

And of course, you can just sunbathe here if you couldn’t get out of Moscow somewhere by the sea in the summer.

How to get to VDNKh by other means of transport

• Monorail - Stop "Exhibition Center".
• Buses: 33, 56, 76, 93, 136, 154, 172, 195, 239, 244, 803.
• Minibus: 533.
• Trolleybuses: 9, 14, 48, 36, 37, 73, 76.
• Trams: 11, 17.
• railway stations are located nearby .
• In a personal car you need to drive along Mira Avenue, after the Alekseevskaya metro station you need to stay in the two right lanes of the road and after the house at number 124 there is a small descent along which you need to go to the “back-up street” of Mira Avenue; To get to the main entrance of the center, you need to turn around in front of Galushkina Street. When approaching from the Moscow Ring Road, immediately after the bridge over the Yauza, you need to follow the Mira Avenue alternate route.