The Chess Museum was founded in 1980, and in 2014 it was housed in the Central House of the Chess Player named after M. M. Botvinnik on Gogolevsky Boulevard. The core of the museum's exhibition is the collection of the well-known Leningrader Vyacheslav Dombrovsky. The museum displays extremely rare game sets from various countries: from Japan to Ireland. The oldest exhibit — a board from Ethiopia — is 400 years old.
The museum building on Gogolevsky Boulevard in Moscow
Interior of the museum
The museum's exhibition includes many astonishing items: here you can see pieces made of silver, porcelain, mother-of-pearl, sandalwood, ivory, glass and even wire! The collection contains sets that reflect the country's historical realities: cardboard chess from besieged Leningrad and the Gulag, chess sets that have been to space... A unique exhibit is the chess set of the royal children from the first half of the 19th century, which was played with by the future emperor Nicholas I. One set is a historical miniature of Peter the Great's campaign: the pieces on one half of the board depict Peter I and his retinue, and on the other — the Persian shah. Of particular value is the oldest Russian chess set from the 18th century with walrus ivory pieces, where the bishop is depicted as an elephant, the rooks as ships, and instead of a queen — a vizier. This set confirms that chess came to Russia directly from the East.
Chess from besieged Leningrad
The Chess Museum has assembled a large collection of posters, which includes more than 700 originals. The oldest poster was produced in 1937. Also kept here are the first Russian textbook (1821), the first chess magazine “Le Palamede” and the world's first tournament book (1851). The museum's collection also features personal belongings of great chess players: A. Alekhine, M. Botvinnik, V. Smyslov, T. Petrosian and M. Chigorin. A place of honor in the exhibition is occupied by the table used in the 1984 chess match between Karpov and Kasparov, as well as a photo report on that event.
Table from the 1984 chess match between Karpov and Kasparov
The museum houses many awards won by Soviet and Russian chess players at various competitions. Among the unique items are Vera Menchik's trophy — she was the first women's world chess champion — and the women's Olympic team's cup. The museum can be visited by prior appointment, in groups of up to 15 people.
