The Kuskovo Museum Estate is a rare and precious example of 18th century architecture and one of the oldest surviving country estates in Russia. Dating back to 1770, it is one of the oldest wooden mansions in Moscow still in existence. Until the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution the estate belonged to the Sheremetev counts and became famous for its sumptuous parties, which were attended by up to 30,000 aristocrats. The Sheremetevs' fabulous collection of artefacts, including painting, glasswork, porcelain, carved furniture and sculpture, is now on display there. The recently restored Grotto is renowned for its elaborate and colourful stucco sculptures.

Since 1938, the estate has housed Russia’s only museum of ceramics, which has a vast collection of more that 40,000 items, representing the finest Russian and European porcelain manufacturers and featuring works by Kandinsky and Malevich. At the heart of the gallery in the Large Stone Orangerie is a stunning collection that once belonged to Alexei Morozov, one of Russia’s greatest art patrons. The estate’s picturesque and atmospheric park, echoing the gardens of Versailles, is the only example of a French park in Moscow.