The Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre are located under one roof, on the territory of the reconstructed historical building of the Bakhmetevsky Bus Depot. Since it recent foundation in November 2012 the museum has managed to become a hub of Moscow's cultural life.
The museum's space is the world's largest venue dedicated to the life, history, culture and life of the Jewish people. The exposition takes 4,500 square meters, whereas the total area of the premises makes 8500 square meters. The building designed by architects K. Melnikov and V. Shukhov was constructed in the 1930s. Currently, it houses one of the most technologically advanced European museums. Its exhibition consists not only of artifacts, but also includes information presented in an interactive form. Among the exhibits there are documents, and letters, as well as Tank T-3 and Aircraft U-2.
The museum creators have managed to show not just the separate social stratum of the Jewish people, but the entire history of Russia through the prism of one nationality.
The museum territory is divided into 12 rooms. Visitors are welcomed in a pavilion equipped with 4D cinema. It screens stories by the Jewish people and events - from times immemorial till the present. Audio and light effects enhance the presence effect. Visitors get engaged with an interactive migration map: by touching it, you can get a picture about the Jewish communities in any countries of the world.
Shtetl Hall tells about the life of the Jewish town in pre-revolutionary Russia. Separate expositions are dedicated to life in Odessa at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries, revolutionary events, and life in the USSR in general. A huge diorama demonstrates the Jews' participation in the Patriotic War and the horrors of the Holocaust. At the memorial, you can pay tribute to their memory by lighting a candle and recalling the victims' name. For majority of people in Russia post-war time is associated with Khrushchev-era apartment blocks and "refuseniks", anti-Semitism and emigration. The last museum room tells about the achievements of today - the most positive ones for the Jewish people.
The Museum incorporates the Tolerance and Avant-garde Centre, the Schneerson Library and the children's center "Here and There".