The Permanent Collection Gallery

In the two decades since its establishment, The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA) has built a remarkably diverse permanent collection of works, ranging from paintings and sculpture to objects of folk art and cultural artifacts. Beginning with the 2002 donation of seven paintings from the Museum’s founders, the collection has grown at a fast pace, reaching thirteen thousand items in 2022.

Initially a collection of paintings, TMORA’s holdings have expanded to map the rich cultural landscapes of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the post-Soviet era. The Museum’s unique and extensive collections include Soviet-era posters, nonconformist art from the post-WWII Soviet period, post-Soviet contemporary works, holiday ornaments, 20th-century nesting dolls, early 20th-century peasant woodwork crafts, portraits of an aristocratic Russian family that fled revolutionary Russia, figurines from major Soviet porcelain factories, postage stamps and currency, lacquer boxes, samovars, folk clay toys, and more.

Among its most beloved collections is TMORA’s extraordinary assemblage of Russian nesting dolls, or matryoshka. TMORA holds the largest collection of nesting dolls in the United States, representing a remarkable range of styles. A large selection of these nesting dolls is currently on view, offering visitors a rare opportunity to explore the evolution and creativity of this iconic symbol of Russian folk art.

These growing collections have become an increasingly valuable resource in mounting exhibitions drawn from TMORA’s own holdings, reducing reliance on loaned works for display in the Museum’s four galleries. Approximately 95% of the collection originates from Russia within its 1991 borders.

The Permanent Collection Gallery rotates works of art from the Museum’s holdings every year.