The Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy (Russian: Музей каллиграфии) in Moscow is the only museum dedicated to the art of beautiful writing both in Russia and in the world. Opened in 2008 on the territory of the Sokolniki Park in the northeast of Moscow, the museum is a 20-minute walk from the entrance to the park along the alleys. Its collection boasts masterpieces of Slavic, European, Arabic, Jewish, Chinese and Japanese calligraphy, rare manuscripts and unusual writing tools.
Calligraphy first emerged as penmanship, later becoming a distinctive area of graphic art. Works by calligraphers are true paintings that one can admire the same way as painted canvases. The existence of a museum of calligraphy is all the more unexpected in our days because we tend to use a pen or a pencil only to write a signature or to fill out a form. This museum keeps alive the centuries-old tradition of man’s use of the pen. This fact becomes particularly important when we consider that writing establishes a close link between the hand and the human brain. Today our typing on keyboards and tablets threatens to destroy this link. What will the implications be for the human intellect in the future? A visit to the museum of calligraphy is the perfect occasion to give a thought to this problem.
The Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy is a private museum founded by Russian collector Alexey Shaburov. An article on calligraphy by Leonid Pronenko, an outstanding Russian calligrapher, had caught his interest in the topic and he understood how important it was to preserve this art for future generations. Being a true businessman, he arranged the first International Calligraphy Exhibition in St. Petersburg in 2008 and later founded the museum in Moscow. The museum’s collection has considerably grown since then. It now contains some unique exhibits, such as the handwritten Constitution of the Russian Federation, the masterpiece of Jewish calligraphy, known as the World Famous Mezuzah, and more. The international calligraphy exhibition now takes places biannually in different cities and towns throughout Russia.
However, a visitor to such a museum will have a hard time understanding what he sees unless he joins a guided tour. Several small rooms feature rare samples of world calligraphy on their walls and in glass-cases, but visitors who are not versed into calligraphy will not be able to appreciate the true value of these exhibits. The museum staff will help you discover this whole new world of calligraphy and – why not – a new hobby. On weekdays, the museum gives visitors 45-minute-long guided tours in Russian and English. Museum tours for children are available too.
After your visit to the museum is over, have a stroll in the Sokolniki Park, which offers, both in summer and in winter, sports equipment rentals, rides, trampoline centers, a rose garden, and the list goes on. The National School of Calligraphy (Russian: Национальная школа искусства красивого письма) affiliated with the Contemporary Museum of Calligraphy offers calligraphy classes, where students are taught how to write with sharp pointed and flat pens.
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