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For Photographic Arts

Ron Rosenstock: Mother Earth’s Missionary

June 24, 2018 by Emily Stoermer Leave a Comment

Ron Rosenstock’s photographic mission is to raise awareness of our planet’s beauty and importance, and to convince others that they, too, are caretakers of the Earth.

He accomplishes this through stunning visual images of faraway places: Iceland, Morocco, Ireland, Japan, and the Lofoten Islands of Norway, to name just a few.

Rosenstock will present some of these highlights in a discussion of his work on Thursday, June 28, from 7-9pm at the RI Center for Photographic Arts. In his talk, he will share insight into his work and discuss why he views our collective caretaker role as critically important.

During his talk on June 28, Rosenstock will also discuss his 2018 and 2019 photo tours, and opportunities for current photography center members to join him on an upcoming journey, through Strabo Tours while helping to support our organization.

“Traveling the world with enthusiastic wielders of cameras is one of my favorite jobs,” said Rosenstock. “It allows me to not only instruct, but to inspire, to suggest, to encourage, to share and to eat wonderful food with the best of company.

“Ron has generously offered to donate a share of proceeds to the photo center for any RICPA members who join him on an upcoming photography tour,” said David DeMelim, Managing Director of the RI Center for Photographic Arts. “This is a terrific way for members to experience the world with their cameras, and with one of the best photographic guides, while helping to support this community organization.”

Rosenstock, a resident of Holden, Massachusetts, has been creating images of the world and its people for over 50 years. In those years, his work has ranged from vivid color to black & white, darkroom to digital, large format cameras to full-frame digital. Additionally, Ron is noted for his early dawn and dusk work in infrared. He has published six books of photographs and written numerous articles on the art and craft of photography. Rosenstock is particularly fond of Ireland, where he owned a second home for 34 years.

Ron Rosenstock

Contact & Website

[email protected]

www.ronrosenstock.com

Goddard College 1976-1977 M.A. (Photography)

Boston University 1965-1968 A.A. (History)

Selected Solo Exhibits

• 2014 Inspirations: Photographs of Iceland, The National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
• 2011-2012 Hymn to the Earth: Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, The Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts
• 2003 Botanicals: Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, Jewish Community Center Gallery, Worcester, Massachusetts
• Images of Italy, Gallery 401, Jewish Community Center, Providence, Rhode Island
• One Earth, Holden Senior Center, Holden, Massachusetts
• 2000 CHIOSTRO, Images of Italy by Ron Rosenstock, Jewish Community Center Gallery, Worcester, Massachusetts
• 1999 Green: A Photo Essay in Black and White, Altamira Contemporary Arts and Crafts Gallery, Islip, New York
• Sacred Places, The Holden Gale Free Library, Holden, Massachusetts
• One Earth, The Schabes Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
• Photographs of Mayo, The Waterfront Gallery, Westport, County Mayo, Ireland
• Ireland, The Schabes Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
• New Work, The Gallery at Atlantic Filmworks, Hamden, Connecticut
• 1995 Sanctuary, The Worcester Center for Crafts Gallery, Worcester, Massachusetts
• 1994 Ron Rosenstock, Photographer, The Bryant Library Gallery, Roslyn, New York
• 1993 Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, The Geoghegan Gallery of Photography, Galway, Ireland
• Studies in Light, The Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
• 1990 Photographs of Ireland, The Gallery at Atlantic Filmworks, Hamden, Connecticut
• 1989 African Rhythm/Irish Cadence, Ledel Gallery, New York, New York
• Black and White Landscapes, The Geoghegan Gallery of Photography, Galway, Ireland
• 1988 Trees Are Poems That The Earth Writes To The Sky, Newton Library Gallery, Newton, Massachusetts
• 1987 Fifteen Years of Ireland in Black and White, Grace O’Malley Art Gallery, Westport, County Mayo, Ireland
• 1985 Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, Walt Kuhn Gallery, Cape Neddick, Maine
• 1984 Ireland, Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, Irish Tourist Board, New York, New York
• 1982 New Work, Front Street Gallery, Wilmington, Delaware
• 1981 Ron Rosenstock, Darkroom Gallery, Denver, Colorado
• Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, The Gallery of Photography, Dublin, Ireland
• Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, Photo Graphic Workshop, New Canaan, Connecticut
• 1977 Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, The Carpenter Center, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• 1974 Photographs by Ron Rosenstock, Thoor Ballylee Museum, Gort, County Galway, Ireland
• 1973 Ron Rosenstock, 8 X 10 Contacts, Creative Photography Gallery, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Corporate Sales

Aware Corporation, Bedford, Massachusetts

Fidelity Investments, Boston, Massachusetts

Permanent Collections

• Castlebar Urban District Council, Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland
• The Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• International Center of Photography, New York, New York
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
• University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• The Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts
• The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland

Photography at Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts

Leading photo tours since 1969 to many countries throughout the world. Currently conducting tours in Ireland, Italy, Vinalhaven, Maine, Iceland, Morocco, Greenland, New Zealand, and Death Valley.

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Known for black-and-white photos, Ron Rosenstock's color shots are focus of Fitchburg exhibit

For more than 50 years, renowned photographer Ron Rosenstock has been producing images in black and white or infrared that capture the beauty of the landscape and its people. His work has been featured in more than 100 shows worldwide and acquired for permanent collections at Worcester Art Museum, the Fogg Art Museum, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the International Center of Photography.

A new exhibition at Fitchburg Art Museum, however, is the first to exclusively feature his color photography, offering vivid scenes from his many trips throughout the world, from the chiseled treeless expanses of Iceland to the vibrant sun-drenched streets of Morocco.

The show, “Ron Rosenstock’s World in Color,” opened in September and runs through March 5, 2023. A nationally noted Central Massachusetts photographer, Rosenstock’s show evinces his love of the natural environment and his quest to understand our place within it. 

Rosenstock’s photographic vision developed through his correspondence with Ansel Adams; studies with his teacher, Minor White; and his time as a private student of Paul Caponigro. He taught photography at the Worcester Center for Crafts for many years and retired from Clark University, where he had taught for 30 years.

He leads international photography tours, taking his students to Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, Africa and other photogenic spots while finding time to pursue his own work along the way. Rosenstock has published several books and DVDs of his photographs.

Among photographs in the show is one of a small church in Iceland situated by itself amid a vast barren landscape. The sweeping impact of that image contrasts with one of a close-up view of a string of orange rinds peeled into curlicues and suspended in a Moroccan shop Rosenstock saw on a tour stop with one of his photography groups.  

The peels were set among a shop crammed with shoppers browsing jars of pungent spices and unfamiliar fruits piled high on tables. Looking over it all were the shopkeepers dressed in colorful traditional Moroccan garb. Rosenstock’s photography students strained to capture the whole of it, undaunted by the dizzying complexity of the scene. But by focusing on the small, orange-peel detail, Rosenstock managed to capture the old-world essence of the shop and the exoticness of its wares in one inviting image.

“Ron has an amazing eye for moments that capture the ethos of a place,” Fitchburg Art Museum curator Lauren Szumita said. “So many of his photos feature majestic vistas that transport us to faraway countries, but he also has a knack for finding moments that create a perfect composition — a ray of light streaming through the window at a dynamic angle, or the sun setting perfectly behind a sailboat’s mast.”

Rosenstock most often works in black-and-white or infrared photography and those are the images for which he is best known. But, in the early 2000s, the teacher took a technological cue from his students.

“I always thought of myself as a black-and-white or infrared photographer until digital photography came along,” Rosenstock said, during a recent interview at FAM. “And my main income really is teaching, and leading photo tours, and people started showing up with digital cameras and I didn't know the first thing about them. I thought, ‘I better learn this.’” 

But, after long decades in the dark room, he never thought he would take digital photography seriously.

“I thought it was kind of a fad like the Hula Hoop,” he said. “I didn't think it would last. But the more I got into it, the more I discovered that it was amazing. It's like learning a new language but being excited about it.”

Since Rosenstock had never been interested in mastering the touchy, temperature-sensitive chemical processes for developing and printing color film, digital also meant he was able to shoot color for the first time. 

“You know they say about one door closing and another door opening? Well, in my case, I feel one door didn't close, it widened. It got bigger.”

His aha! moment came during a European photography tour he was leading in 2004.

“The trip started in Austria, and I passed the camera shop and I saw this little camera. It wasn't much bigger than that, believe it or not,” he said, pointing to a micro voice recorder a reporter was using to record the interview. “It was a little Casio camera that cost about $250 or something like that. And I thought, ‘You know, I think I'm going to get this.’”

Shortly after, he used it for the first time as the tour moved on to Český Krumlov, a small Czech city known for its Renaissance and Gothic architecture.

“It’s one of these medieval towns with these wonderful churches with the onion domes and all that kind of thing,” he said. “I had my four-by-five view camera with me, and as I was walking around, I was thinking ‘I really should see what this little tiny camera could do,’ and it really blew me away.” 

Rosenstock still shoots mainly black and white and has a dedicated camera for infrared photography, which he used extensively on a recent trip to Greenland.

“But I'm also doing a lot of color photography now. It's like learning another instrument,” he said.

Rosenstock’s body of work in black and white is so robust that people sometimes forget that he also works in color, Szumita said, but his discerning eye for great moments of light and shadow carry through to his color photos. In preparation for the exhibition, Szumita sifted through Rosenstock’s huge collection of color prints to make her selections.

“I really loved finding moments of abstraction and a play with perception in his color photos, where you have to stop and think to fully understand what you’re seeing,” she said. “The vibrant blues of the Moroccan houses start to blend together, or the taillights of a departing car leave behind red streaks in a long exposure of an otherwise quiet scene.”

In the beginning, as he developed his digital camera skills, Rosenstock would go to CVS to have prints made, and from there graduated to a local custom print-making specialist. Now, he does it himself.

“I feel like I'm kind of almost a master printer. I'm really into it,” he said. “The technology has changed and it's so easy. I have this wonderful printer, and it’s amazing what you can do — even with large prints — just by hitting ‘print.’ I started in the sixties, so I have about 50 to 55 years of dark room experience, but I would never in a million years go back. It is just so wonderful what I can do now.” 

How does Rosenstock choose whether to go with color, black and white or infrared in a given situation?

“Honestly, I don't really think about it,” he said. “I just do it. It's what draws me. “And I enjoy all of it. It's all about photography. It's all about vision and kind of relating to what's out there and then feeling part of it. So, it's no longer like color is this and black and white is that. It's like it's me kind of relating to what's there.”

Even after more than half a century looking through the lens, Rosenstock doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

“I actually think I’m speeding up,” he said. “And lately I’ve been thinking about how so many people have goals and a plan. That's normal. Things like making a budget. But I was never able to do any of that stuff ever. I just kind of go by my instinct. I feel like I'm along for the ride and it's absolutely been a wonderful ride.”

Then he reached into his pocket and took out a piece of paper, saying he wanted to read it because he felt it related to the discussion we were having. It was a draft of an artist statement he was composing for a show he will have at the Providence Art Club in June. 

"My photographs express my deepest feelings,” the statement said, in part. “The 13th century Persian poet Rumi said, 'Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.'”

“And that's been my life,” Rosenstock said.

Learn the Ins and Outs of Leading a Photo Tour

Ireland Sunset © Ron Rosenstock

Story and Photos  by Ron Rosenstock

What do you get when you mix the magical light and sacred sounds of Ireland with dinner conversations about being a photo tour leader?

You get the best of both worlds – opportunities to photograph and to build your tour leader skills.

I’ve been privileged to be a photographer and international tour leader for 46 years and I want to share that experience with a small group of photographers who have a similar ambition.

Being a successful photo tour leader requires far more than just being a very good photographer. It requires knowing how to develop a following and successfully market your tour. Further, you must be familiar with the photo destinations, knowing the options on a daily basis. You must know how to successfully relate to people with different expectations in a positive way. The successful leader is a problem solver and must be highly committed to each participant’s needs.

To give you a little of my background, I believe I may have been the first photo teacher to bring a group of people overseas for the express purpose of photographing. After studying photography with Minor White in the 1960s, I was fortunate to get a job teaching photography at the Worcester Center for Crafts, in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1969. About that time, I first met Paul Caponigro who had recently returned from photographing the ancient stones in the U.K. and Ireland. His images stirred something in me and changed the course of my life.

The following year I offered my students an opportunity to join me in photographing in England. That first excursion was to be the first of many international workshops to follow, right up to the present moment.

The following year I organized a workshop in Ireland. Loving the experience of Ireland, I, along with Cathy, my wife, started a new business called The Irish Photo Workshop. Fifteen years later I had the opportunity to join a much larger tour company, Voyagers International, which later became Strabo Tours.

In 1982 I purchased a seven-bedroom house in the west of Ireland as the workshop home. It is a charming traditional house situated in the West of Ireland with wonderful access to country towns, rural and mountain landscapes, and the sea. Initially the house was used only for my photographic groups. Around 1990 other photo tour leaders working for Strabo Tours began using Hillcrest House and my support staff there. This arrangement allowed me to lead photo tours to many other destinations.

Looking from the Indoors Out of my Ireland House © Ron Rosenstock

Ireland continues to draw photographers from around the world. The West of Ireland is a center for artists, and musicians, and is rich in historical landmarks. With its breathtaking land and seascapes and ancient ruins, Ireland is a place of tremendous beauty and inspiration. It is also a modern and energetic place.

This special photo workshop for NANPA members is for those who have visions of becoming a photo tour leader, or becoming a better photo tour leader. You will gain photography experience under my tutelage, as well as enjoy authentic Irish accommodations and nighttime discussions on being a photo tour leader. The tour mixes a cultural and educational opportunity like no other!

It is now forty-six years since I lead my first international photo tour. My life in photography is reflected in my web site: www.ronrosenstock.com/ . Most of my life has been image-making and helping others. Now, I wish to give a big push to anyone who dreams for the same kind of life.

The tour is limited to eight photographers. NANPA members can attend at a special rate, and a donation will be made to the NANPA Foundation. For more information, visit www.phototc.com or the NANPA Foundation website at http://nanpafoundation.org/ireland-2016/ .

Don’t delay your registration – the tour has sold out four years in a row.

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Photo by: Ron Rosenstock Location: Vinalhaven Maine

Photography tour, vinalhaven maine photo tour and workshop.

or 2025 Dates June 9-14

Credit of $375 per person if sharing a room

This workshop/tour is designed for photographers of any skill level, and any type of camera. Ron Rosenstock will be showing prints and digital slide shows of before and after  processing of his images. He will demonstrate post capture techniques of contrast control, as well as using digital techniques that are similar to what used to be done in the film dark room. Ron’s goal will be to educate participants as to the unlimited possibilities of image making with any camera, including infrared. He will also be demonstrating printing and matting techniques.

Maine is such a truly special place to photograph. Ron has been vacationing in Vinalhaven for many years. It is very much an extension of his backyard, so you will have a great photographic and educational experience. Although Vinalhaven is not your characteristic Maine destination, it provides a wonderful location for a photographic workshop, without the typical New England tourism. As long as the light is good, we try to keep busy photographing, but during mid-day we take a lunch break and travel to our next location. The days are long, so we try to give you some time to catch your breath, download images, and get ready for the next location. Keep in mind that the Maine coast weather forces us to be flexible, so trust Ron’s instincts here! The itinerary below may not be followed to the letter, but not to worry.

There is wireless internet at your accommodations. There is a fee for parking at the Rockland Ferry parking lot along with fee for the ferry. We will notify you if there are other participants living in your area, so you can car pool to Rockland.

If you are considering converting a camera to infrared you can obtain information at www.kolarivision.com , and Ron suggests getting a 720 NM Conversion.  Contact Ron for more info. 

Ron is happy to share his vision and insights to all who travel with him. Although he now only photographs with a digital camera, his philosophy of teaching hasn’t changed since the early large format film days. He firmly believes that the photograph comes from within, not from without. Meaning you can’t buy creativity, however, you have to learn to recognize that creative spirit within. Ron teaches exercises that will help that creative spirit come to the surface. These may consist of: 1) Entry ways to seeing, 2) photographing in the NOW, 3) practical aspects of printing, exhibiting and getting your work out there. During the photo tour he will teach and use a digital projector several evenings.

Most people who travel with Ron have a basic understanding of how the camera works, and others who know everything about the camera. He doesn’t focus on technical knowledge, rather places the emphasis on a more Zen approach. Ron believes it isn’t necessary to know all the latest digital technique, but it is necessary to know yourself. Please feel free to view Ron’s website and e-mail regarding any questions. www.ronrosenstock.com

Why do you LOVE nature photography?   By Ron Rosenstock

Let me use some of the same words, Nature photography is LOVE!  Since the very beginning of our species starting to walk upright, we have been recreating nature in various art forms, from cave paintings to digital photography. Technology has changed, but what is most important, hasn’t. The world’s greatest artists have received their inspiration from nature. We are as much a part of nature as nature is a part of us.  For those of us that take the time to smell the flowers, it’s so much more.  Poets but their feelings into words, painters paint and we photograph.  Each image we make is showing us on a deeper level, who we really are. “Listen, my heart, to the whispering of the world.  That is how it makes love to you” Tagore

Destination

June 3-8, 2024, $2695 in single rooms. double occupancy will be discounted., per person, double occupancy*.

*U.S. dollars based upon minimum of 7 participants. There is a small group surcharge of $300 if 3-6 participants. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested (subject to availability), or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, there is a single room surcharge of $Included.

Tour Overview

This workshop/tour is designed for photographers of any skill level, and any type of camera. Ron Rosenstock will be showing prints and digital slide shows of before and after  processing of his images. He will demonstrate post capture techniques of contrast control, as well as using digital techniques that are similar to what used to be done in the film dark room. Ron’s goal will be to educate participants as to the unlimited possibilities of image making with any camera, including infrared....

Photo Leader

Ron rosenstock, photo gallery.

Vinalhaven was great. I learned new things from Ron and enjoyed the place, which is like another country. We had a fantastic sunset the first night.

— Hope

I had to think for a while about the highlight of the tour. Ron was very open minded about which post processing software was used by the participants. He addressed the general principles of post processing, rather than focusing on a single software product. The inclusiveness of this approach was the highlight of the workshop for me.

— Jeff Wilburn

What is your overall rating of the trip? 10 out of 10. Working with Ron, great leader and teacher. The accommodations were also a 10, a relaxing environment with local great owners. The meeting room was great for our group. Great photo shoot locations. Instruction and the opportunity to talk about photography, all lead by Ron.

— David Pinkham

Ron does a great job of getting us to beautiful places and keeping us very comfortable, and helping us with our photography.  His love for Vinalhaven came through in many ways. Having Ron show us editing was great. I would suggest he do 2 photos per person, though I learned a lot from watching him work on others’ photos. And the matting was very helpful. Leaving with a printed photo all matted and in a protective plastic was great. Vinalhaven is a very special place.  I am so glad we got there. And as per Ron’s style, he took us to hidden away places and privately owned spots. We got much more of a sense of the island through the local people Ron interacted with. I enjoyed getting much more used to IR, Ron’s comments during the week were very helpful regarding the IR. I didn’t use my regular camera on purpose, so I’d have to concentrate on the IR. The group was lovely.

— R & M Thayer

Wonderful! I thank you, Ron, for one of the most memorable experiences I have ever encountered! What a delight. And loved that all the participants were gentle and loving and kind!

— J. Dunne

Just wanted to say “thanks” for a great Tour! Loved the areas you selected. Great crew. Great participants. Great time!

— J. Trunck

More testimonials, tour itinerary, june 3: home - rockland - vinalhaven.

Vinalhaven is 15 miles off the coast of Maine from Rockland and it is the largest of the 14 year-round island towns of Maine. You can reach the island by taking the ferry from Rockland. You can leave your car in the parking area by the ferry and walk on to the boat, Ron will meet you when you reach Vinalhaven. After checking into the hotel we will go over the itinerary for the week and enjoy a welcome dinner. (D)

June 4-7: Vinalhaven, Maine

We will be photographing in beautiful areas from sunrise to sunset, with a mid-day break for lunch in one of the local restaurants, or perhaps a picnic lunch. Each day we’ll explore something new, including a boat yard, lobster wharf, many natural areas where we may encounter seals and a variety of seabirds ( Double-crested Cormorant, and Black Guillemot).

Vinalhaven is a quiet, scenic lobstering village. It offers an array of scenic walks and nature trails such as Lane’s Island Nature Conservancy, and other natural areas such as Basin Preserve for sunrise photography. We will find land and seascapes at Granite Island and The Carrying Place . Lobster fishing is one of the main sources of income on the island; therefore we will spend time at several excellent harbors. After dinner, we may head out for an evening shoot.

Ron will make various presentations during your stay, at mid-day, evening, or perhaps an early morning if the weather prohibits the group from photographing. (Continental breakfast each day, Dinner the last evening)

June 8: Vinalhaven - Rockland - Home

Ron typically departs on the first ferry this morning. You can choose to depart with him or wander in the morning on your own to enjoy another photo shoot.

Fitness and Health

Walks and hikes can be on rough terrain and up to a couple miles in length. Trails can be uneven, slippery. You need to be able to climb uphill or over rocks. All participants need to be agile and able to manage their own gear and luggage in and out of the vehicle. Anyone who is reasonably fit should be able to take part in most of the activities. If you have any special needs or any physical condition that you feel might prevent you from fully participating, please contact Strabo Tours with your concerns (607-756-8676).

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Photo by: ron rosenstock location: faroe islands denmark, may 10-18, 2024, photo by: karen gordon schulman location: morocco, january 1-dec 31 2022, online learning from strabo photo tour leaders, photo by: ron rosenstock location: vinalhaven, maine, june 9-14, 2025, vinalhaven maine photography workshop.

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• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Moscow Metro

About Me in Short

My name's Arthur Lookyanov, I'm a private tour guide, personal driver and photographer in Moscow, Russia. I work in my business and run my website Moscow-Driver.com from 2002. Read more about me and my services , check out testimonials of my former business and travel clients from all over the World, hit me up on Twitter or other social websites. I hope that you will like my photos as well.

See you in Moscow!

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• Owner: Moscow Guide & Driver
• Date: June 3, 2012 06:12:00 am EDT
• File name: ALP-2012-0603-146-Entering-Moscow-Metro-Station-Komsomolskaya.jpg
• Tags: Russia , Moscow Metro , Komsomolskaya , Moscow Highlights , escalators , Moscow Famous Landmarks , underground palace , Moscow

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