M.T. Kalashnikov Small Arms Museum and Exhibition Complex

About museum

M.T. Kalashnikov Small Arms Museum and Exhibition Complex appeared on Russia's cultural map in 2004. It immediately became an attraction of the capital of the Udmurt Republic — the city of Izhevsk, whose arms-making history spans more than two hundred years.

The museum rightfully bears the name of Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov. It was in Izhevsk that the successful design solution of the AK-47 was realized in mass production. At the Izhmash factory, in a dedicated design bureau, all five generations of weapons of the "Kalashnikov family" were developed. Mikhail Timofeevich lived here for the rest of his life, becoming an honorary citizen of Izhevsk and the Udmurt Republic. Together with G.N. Nikonov, E.F. Dragunov and V.A. Yarygin he forms a distinguished cohort of Izhevsk weapons designers.

The museum's main exhibition presents the national history, a retrospective of production and new developments in small arms. All exhibition halls are equipped with multimedia systems. In the modern demonstration halls (firearms, pneumatic and bow-crossbow shooting ranges) visitors can choose various examples of historical and current weapons.

Each year the Museum and Exhibition Complex receives more than 160,000 visitors. These are children and adults, residents of Udmurtia, Russia, near and far abroad, participants of major international competitions, and foreign guests of the capital of the Udmurt Republic.