State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia

Start early in the day with this one. There's a whole century of the most turbulent, convoluted, well documented history to be seen and absorbed. Housed in a 1780s mansion and former premises of the Moscow English Club, this grand dame was also the former Museum of Revolution. Now that history has moved on, so has the museum, covering all aspects of Russia's recent history. English texts are sporadically situated in the rooms to make more of the experience. Don't linger too much in the Revolutionary phase or you'll be too tired by the time the Space Race starts, and Perestroika and the great music section dedicated to Russia's answer to the Beatles.