Those who choose Voronezh for its cultural attractions will find a range of options: an art museum in a Baroque palace, a diorama about the city’s wartime history, and a museum ship connected with the early Russian navy. This makes it possible to explore the city through art, theater history, or the era of Peter I—without combining these themes into a single tour.
Art and Architecture
The Voronezh Regional Art Museum displays collections of ancient Egyptian and classical antiquities, Russian and Western European paintings from the 18th to the 20th centuries, icons, prints, applied arts, and sculptures. Individual displays may change. The building itself is also part of the museum’s history: since 1947, it has been housed in a Baroque palace built between 1777 and 1779 to a design by provincial architect N. N. Ievsky. The building is a federally significant architectural monument.
You can encounter another form of the city’s history at the Arsenal Museum. Its collection comprises around 1,200 exhibits, and its exhibition rooms cover a total of 600 square meters. The building that houses the museum is a federally designated cultural heritage site. A distinct counterpoint to the collections is Koltsov Square: a dendrological park with rare plant species and a natural monument of regional significance.
City and Theater History
The Diorama Museum focuses on the wartime history of Voronezh and Russian military history. Exhibits include the map “Voronezh 1942–1943: Line of Military Glory,” as well as displays on aspects of Voronezh’s history, Russian decorations, and the stories of soldiers, drawn from veterans’ family archives. The subjects range from the city’s history to personal accounts.
The exhibition “Theatre and Time” at the Museum of the Voronezh Koltsov State Academic Theater tells the story of Voronezh’s oldest theater, from its founding in 1787 to the present day. Along with the diorama, it offers a different historical focus from the art collections: here, theater history and the memory of war and the city take center stage.
Ship History and Visit Planning
The original ship “Goto Predestinatsiya” was laid down on November 19 (29), 1698, at the Voronezh Admiralty shipyard and launched on April 27, 1700. It should be distinguished from the museum ship of the same name at Admiralty Square: an operational historical replica of the first ship of the line in the Russian navy, dating from the era of Peter I. This makes it easy to distinguish the dates of the historic original from the identity of the replica.
Groups of 10 or more must book a visit to the museum ship in advance by calling +7 903 853-61-60; bookings can be made between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Confirm these details with the museum before making plans. Voronezh’s Tourist Information Center also offers guided tours of the historic site of Admiralty Square for groups of 10 to 20 people, by prior arrangement. Confirm the date with the organizer in advance.
The Peter I Monument is located in Petrovsky Square, a different location from Admiralty Square. Cannons and unusual sundials stand beside the monument. Those interested in music history can visit the Museum of Forgotten Music for guided tours in the form of lecture-concerts, featuring rare, forgotten, and unusual instruments. Visitors can also take part in a workshop on playing and making simple folk instruments. Visits must be arranged in advance.
More Nature Destinations in Voronezh Oblast
Those who look beyond Voronezh to the wider destination of Voronezh Oblast will find a range of ways to spend time actively at the Khopyor Nature Reserve. The reserve extends across the Novokhopersky, Povorinsky, and Gribanovsky administrative districts. The “Legends of the Khopyor” walking excursion is 5 km long and takes three hours; it is closed during spring floods. The “Tour de Khopyor” cycling tour covers 26 km and takes four hours. These details provide a concrete comparison of route lengths and time required without presenting the two activities as equivalent.
The Natural History Museum at the Khopyor Reserve displays the reserve’s wildlife and habitats in two halls. Exhibits cover beavers, Russian desmans, aquatic and predatory birds, as well as wild boar, moose, fallow deer, and red deer; there is also a large relief map of the reserve. Check the museum’s visiting arrangements before setting out. These destinations are in the wider destination of Voronezh Oblast and should be distinguished from attractions in the city of Voronezh.
Discover more destinations: Borok, Medovka, Aydarovo, Polyana, Petropavlovka, Zaoserednye sady, Novoaleksandrovka, Boguchar.
View the wider travel guide: Voronezh Oblast.
