Museum Review: The Museum of Music (a.k.a. the Sheremetev Palace)

WARNING: THIS REVIEW IS WRITTEN BY AN EX-MUSIC MAJOR.

My feelings were very mixed about this Museum. 

On the one hand, half of it was under construction, most of it was inaccessible, and even after paying 200 rubles for photography (6 USD), we weren't allowed to take pictures in more than half the rooms.

On the other hand, everything on the inside that WAS open was absolutely gorgeous, there was musical instruments galore (I mean, come on-- a real Stradivarius violin!), and my weapons-and-musical-instrument-magpie self got to geek out over gilded rifles, swords, and an INSANE bugle being within three glass exhibits of each other.

While I get to reminisce about all the beautiful things I saw-- the ritziest rooms, with glass vases, fine works of art, beautifully crafted pieces used in the daily life of Sheremetev (and of which photography is prohibited)-- I also look back at the photo album of this museum, and wrinkle my nose with annoyance at the realization that I have photos of less than HALF of what I saw there today.

Could photos have captured the feeling of rapture at listening to a piece written for piano and violin echo within the lavish walls of a single room of this palace? 

No. 

Could photos explain how, suddenly, so many pieces of classical music (which I had previously found unbearably dull) made sense, within the context of this style of life? 

Again, no.

But could photos have illustrated how awesome a gun embellished with mother-of-pearl carvings and a sword with a velvet-upholstered sheath look, especially when there's a bugle as twisted as Medusa's hair one case over?

... I rest my case.

Overall, this museum is a great place to visit-- you get to be within amazing proximity of some of the most amazing instruments in the world (namely that Stradivarius-- man, is that rare). However, don't spring for the photos; if more of the museum was open, and/or more of the rooms were open for photography, I would wholeheartedly endorse the purchase; however, it would be better to just hold off, and instead buy photos for the Hermitage, or any museum other than this one.

Museum of Music (a.k.a. Sheremetev Palace)