| Mon–Thu | 10:00 — 18:00 |
| Fri | 11:00 — 20:00 |
| Sat–Sun | 10:00 — 18:00 |
| Adults | 450 ₽ |
| Students, pensioners | 350 ₽ |
The Museum of Natural History of Tatarstan is a structural unit of the Kazan Kremlin Museum‑Reserve, housed in the building of the former 19th‑century Junker Military School.
The museum’s display is arranged over two floors in twelve halls. The museum presents a large body of fascinating information from various fields of geological knowledge.
A collection of meteorites, an interactive telescope and cosmic scales offer an introduction to the mysteries of the Universe. Mineralogical curiosities from all over the world, sparkling with crystal facets and polished sections, are gathered in the ‘Minerals of the Earth’ hall. Hypotheses on the origin of life, the planet’s earliest inhabitants, the first vertebrates and land plants are presented in the ‘Beginning of the Journey’ and ‘World of Ancient Life’ halls. The planet’s ‘black gold’ is illustrated by collections of oil samples and reservoir rocks, a working model of a mud volcano and an interactive borehole. Information about the mineral resources of Tatarstan and methods of their extraction can be found in the ‘Storehouse of the Subsoil’ hall.
The palaeontological halls on the second floor present the main stages of vertebrate evolution: the first fish, ancient amphibians, therapsids (mammal‑like reptiles), marine reptiles, dinosaurs, representatives of the last major glaciations – mammoth, cave bear, woolly rhinoceros – and, finally, Homo sapiens. Interactive elements are skilfully integrated into the palaeontological displays, enabling young visitors to explore different aspects of palaeontology in a playful way: the ‘trackway’ demonstrates palaeontological reconstruction of ancient animals; the ‘palaeontological sandpit’ offers a taste of the daily fieldwork of a palaeontologist.
The accessible presentation of information and the presence of tactile and interactive exhibits in every hall make the museum’s display accessible to visitors of all ages. The museum regularly offers guided tours, themed tours, masterclasses, quests and other cultural and educational programmes designed for all age groups.