london transport museum poster tour

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London Transport Museum’s new gallery explores the history of posters

2023-09-13T08:35:00+01:00

The new Global Poster Gallery, set over two floors, will explore the history and impact of the poster from the 1900s to the modern day. 

Source: © London Transport Museum

Groups will be able to see how poster art and design has evolved over the years through the museum’s extensive collection. 

London Transport Museum in Covent Garden cares for one of the world’s largest collections of 20th century graphic art and design, with around 1,000 original poster artworks and over 30,000 posters housed at its Museum Depot in Acton, west London.

Global Poster Gallery opens on Friday 20th October and will feature artistic works from the museum’s collection together with loans from private, national, and international archives. Its displays will reveal the power of the poster and its influence on mass communication from the 1900s to the present day.

Posters and the London Underground

When Frank Pick, the first chief executive of London Transport, first took charge of the Underground’s publicity in 1908, he revolutionised poster design. Driven by his belief that good design enriches life, Pick injected new life into a previously conservative, text-based medium by commissioning pictorial posters.

Eye-catching designs soon enticed prospective travellers by focusing on the destination rather than the mode of travel. Imagery never seen before on the Tube let commuters know that a trip to the theatre, zoo or countryside was all within their reach. Seeing this success, other commercial organisations soon followed suit.

Source: © TfL

A member of staff posts commercial advertising on the platform wall at St Johns Wood station, London.

Pick believed that ‘there is room in posters for all styles’ and in the 1920s, he began to commission more adventurous posters. He went on to work with graphic designers influenced by radical and avant-garde art movements, such as futurism, cubism, and surrealism, conveying the modernity of the Underground. Many of the posters in this period had a strong art deco flavour.

“We’re incredibly proud to be opening a brand-new museum gallery in the heart of the capital dedicated to the fascinating history of poster art and design, of which London’s transport is at the fore.” Elizabeth McKay, London Transport Museum’s director.

Over three decades, Pick cultivated an extensive network of artists and designers. Matt Brosnan, head curator at the Museum said: “When Frank Pick took charge of publicising the Underground, his pioneering vision for beauty and utility turned the Tube – and later London’s transport network at large - into a place where great art and design could be admired in everyday life.”

The museum explores more than 200 years of London's transport history and takes a peek into how future technologies might impact London as we know it.

Located in Covent Garden, the museum has a number of options for groups include downloadable gallery tours.

Source: LJS_2019

Look out for the 1882 built London Tramways Company vehicle which was built by John Stephenson & Co in New York.

How to Make a Poster exhibition

The new gallery will launch with its first exhibition, How to Make a Poster , which will run until 2025 and will be a visual exploration of poster commissioning and creativity in the pre-digital age from 1900.

It will explore the poster-making process behind some of the 20th century’s most influential commercial art and design. More than 110 poster artworks and posters from London Transport Museum’s collection will be on display, including the Underground’s very first pictorial poster titled ‘ No need to ask a p’liceman ’ by John Hassall, dating from 1908.

‘No need to ask a p’liceman’ by John Hassall, 1908, was London Underground’s very first pictorial poster and will be on display in the new Global Poster Gallery.

Visitors will also be able to see the variety of artistic styles and techniques used in poster production over the decades and historic photos will explore the creative ways posters have been displayed in Tube stations, bus stops and on mail vans and lorries. 

Elizabeth McKay, London Transport Museum’s director said: “We’re incredibly proud to be opening a brand-new museum gallery in the heart of the capital dedicated to the fascinating history of poster art and design, of which London’s transport is at the fore.

“The Global Poster Gallery will shine a light on this fascinating heritage and celebrate its international influence.”

To find out more and book tickets visit: www.ltmuseum.co.uk/global-poster-gallery

• London Transport Museum
• Museums & Galleries

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London Transport Museum’s new gallery to display the ‘power of the poster’ next month

The Global Poster Gallery, set to feature thousands of original poster artworks, will open its doors in October

London Transport Museum has announced the opening date of its new gallery, which will display what it claims is one of the world’s largest collections of 20th century graphic art and design.

The Global Poster Gallery will open on 20 October 2023, and will reveal “the power of the poster” and its influence on mass communication since the 1900s.

The Covent Garden museum’s collection includes around 1,000 original poster artworks and over 30,000 posters housed at its Museum Depot in Acton, west London.

The new gallery, sponsored by outdoor media provider Global, will feature exhibitions sourced from its collection together with loans from private, national, and international archives.

Its first exhibition, How to Make a Poster, will run until 2025, with more than 110 poster artworks and posters from London Transport Museum’s collection on display, including the Underground’s very first pictorial poster, ‘No need to ask a p’liceman’ by John Hassall, dating from 1908.

Artworks, posters, and historic objects will also be on display throughout the exhibition from private, national, and commercial collections, including the estate of Abram Games, The Postal Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Shell Heritage Art Collection, Manchester Metropolitan University’s Special Collections Archive, the University of Brighton’s Design Archive and TfL Corporate Archives.

The exhibition has been curated and designed by London Transport Museum and built by Exib with audio-visuals created in partnership with DJW.

Future displays are set to include artist retrospectives and collaborative exhibitions with private, national, and international collections.

Elizabeth McKay, London Transport Museum’s Director said London transport “is at the fore” of poster design and the gallery “will shine a light on this fascinating heritage and celebrate its international influence.”

Matt Brosnan, Head Curator at London Transport Museum added: “The Global Poster Gallery’s opening exhibition will bring together some of the finest posters in the Museum’s collection of graphic art and design in a celebration of commissioning, creativity, and artistic talent that will inspire our visitors.”

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Now open – new gallery dedicated to the history of poster art and design at London Transport Museum

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• Associate News , Tourism News
• A new gallery dedicated to the history of poster art and design is now open at London Transport Museum  
• London Transport Museum cares for one of the world’s largest collections of 20th century graphic art and design, housed at its Museum Depot
• The new Global Poster Gallery, sponsored by Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, showcases this iconic collection for the public to enjoy at the Museum in Covent Garden
• Through its exhibition programme, the Global Poster Gallery reveals the power of the poster and its influence on mass communication since the 1900s to the modern day
• The Global Poster Gallery has launched with a blockbuster exhibition, How to Make a Poster
• Entry to the Global Poster Gallery is included with museum admission. Adult tickets cost £24 – and kids go free! ltmuseum.co.uk
• A programme of public events for adults and families is on offer over October Half Term, including a Museum Late on 17 November 
• Visitors can buy prints of the iconic posters on show in the exhibition and a new postcard set 

Global Poster Gallery at London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. 

Images © London Transport Museum

London Transport Museum in Covent Garden has opened the Global Poster Gallery , its first permanent gallery dedicated to the history of poster art and design.

Global Poster Gallery at London Transport Museum in Covent Garden Images © London Transport Museum

London Transport Museum cares for one of the world’s largest collections of twentieth century graphic art and design, with around 1,000 original poster artworks and over 30,000 posters housed at its Museum Depot in Acton, west London. Together, these reflect the Underground and London Transport’s unrivalled reputation for commissioning great works of commercial art and design.

Exhibitions hosted in the Global Poster Gallery will feature artistic works from the Museum’s collection together with loans from private, national, and international archives. Its displays will reveal the power of the poster and its influence on mass communication from the 1900s to the present day.

Left to right. Elizabeth McKay, CEO and Director at London Transport Museum and a visitor viewing the new How to Make a Poster exhibition.  

When Frank Pick, the first Chief Executive of London Transport, first took charge of the Underground’s publicity in 1908, he revolutionised poster design. Driven by his belief that good design enriches life, Pick injected new life into a previously conservative, text-based medium by commissioning pictorial posters.

Eye-catching designs soon enticed prospective travellers by focusing on the destination rather than the mode of travel. Imagery never seen before on the Tube let commuters know that a trip to the theatre, zoo or countryside was all within their reach. Seeing this success, other commercial organisations soon followed suit.

Pick believed that ‘there is room in posters for all styles’ and in the 1920s, he began to commission more adventurous posters. He went on to work with graphic designers influenced by radical and avant-garde art movements, such as futurism, cubism, and surrealism, conveying the modernity of the Underground. Many of the posters in this period had a strong art deco flavour.

Over three decades, Pick cultivated an extensive network of talented artists and designers. This legacy established London Transport as a leading patron of the arts and brought the capital’s transport system critical and international acclaim for its graphic art and design.

Portrait of Frank Pick © TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection 

The new Global Poster Gallery at London Transport Museum in Covent Garden celebrates this important design heritage and its global influence. Set over two floors, the permanent gallery is now open.

The Global Poster Gallery has launched with its first blockbuster exhibition, How to Make a Poster , which will run until 2025. The exhibition is a visual exploration of poster commissioning and creativity in the pre-digital age from 1900.

It explores the poster-making process behind some of the twentieth century’s most influential commercial art and design. More than 110 poster artworks and posters from London Transport Museum’s collection are on display, including the Underground’s very first pictorial poster titled ‘No need to ask a p’liceman’ by John Hassall, dating from 1908.

Iconic posters by internationally recognised figures are on show, including works by the American graphic artists Edward McKnight Kauffer and Man Ray , the German-born graphic designer Hans Unger , and prominent British artists such as Abram Games , Tom Eckersley , Paul Catherall , and Dora M Batty , who was the most prolific female designer commissioned by the Underground.

Poster; There is still the Country, by Dora M Batty, 1926 (C) TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection  

Poster; Power – the nerve centre of London’s Underground, by Edward McKnight Kauffer, 1931 (C) TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection 

Poster; Keeps London going, by Man Ray, 1938 (C) TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection 

Poster; A new view of London Paul Catherall, 2007 (C) TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection 

Future displays in the Global Poster Gallery will include artist retrospectives and collaborative exhibitions with private, national, and international collections.

Elizabeth McKay, London Transport Museum’s Director said: ‘ We’re incredibly proud to have opened a brand-new museum gallery in the heart of the capital dedicated to the fascinating history of poster art and design, of which London’s transport is at the fore. The Global Poster Gallery shines a light on this fascinating heritage and celebrates its international influence. We’ve now opened its doors and are welcoming visitors to enjoy the opening exhibition .’

Matt Brosnan, Head Curator at London Transport Museum said: ‘ When Frank Pick took charge of publicising the Underground, his pioneering vision for beauty and utility turned the Tube – and later London’s transport network at large – into a place where great art and design could be admired in everyday life. The Global Poster Gallery’s opening exhibition brings together some of the finest posters in the Museum’s collection of graphic art and design in a celebration of commissioning, creativity, and artistic talent that will inspire our visitors.’

The Global Poster Gallery at London Transport Museum is sponsored by Global, one of the UK’s leading outdoor media providers. Global’s outdoor advertising network includes London’s Tube and bus network as well as the UK’s largest network of buses in major towns and cities across the UK.

Jason Cotterrell, Chief Operating Officer – Outdoor at Global, said: ‘Poster design and outdoor advertising as we know it today is rooted in London and its transport history. A long line of designers achieved both artistic and commercial success under Frank Pick and his successors. Today, Global continues this legacy with our innovative displays and creative use of technology. We’re incredibly proud to sponsor the new Global Poster Gallery at London Transport Museum as part of our continued and long-term support. It will be the place in the UK to discover the story of commercial poster art, and its opening exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to discover the people behind iconic poster designs and the artistic skill used to create them.’

London Transport Museum is grateful to the Wolfson Foundation for a major grant toward developing the gallery and to the Finnis Scott Foundation for their support.

In the Global Poster Gallery’s opening exhibition, How to Make a Poster , letters, photographs, audio, and film reveal the people behind iconic posters designs, from the commissioners and the creativity they inspired to the soaring success of the artists.

The rich variety of artistic styles and techniques used in poster production since the early 1900s is also on display, from painting and drawing to printmaking, photography, and sculpture.

Preliminary sketches, original artworks and the tools used by artists to create their work feature alongside final poster designs. Together they illustrate the evolution of production techniques across more than 100 years of design.

Historic photos explore the creative ways posters have been displayed in Tube stations, at bus stops, and on mail vans and lorries. Guests can also learn about the reception poster designs received from both the travelling public and art world. They will be challenged to assess some of the designs themselves through a touchscreen interactive.

Amongst the poster artworks to be enjoyed are a 1930s design by Scottish painter Anna Zinkeisen depicting a fantastical merry-go-round, a colourful 1950s poster produced from a classic oil painting of London’s flowers by Ivon Hitchens , and a mosaic by Hans Unger and Eberhand Schultze created in the 1970s to pay homage to the iconic red London bus.

Visitors have the chance to see the paintbrushes, palette, pencils and technical equipment used by the prolific poster artist Abram Games to create his eye-catching designs.

Poster; Merry-go-round, by Anna Zinkeisen, 1935 (C) TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection 

Poster; Flowers by Ivon Hitchens, 1951 (C) TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection 

Poster; Busabout by Hans Unger and Eberhand Schultze,1970 (C) TfL from London Transport Museum’s collection 

Artworks, posters, and historic objects are also on display throughout the exhibition from private, national, and commercial collections, including the estate of Abram Games, The Postal Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Shell Heritage Art Collection, Manchester Metropolitan University’s Special Collections Archive, the University of Brighton’s Design Archive and TfL Corporate Archives.

How to Make a Poster has been curated and designed by London Transport Museum and built by Exib with audio-visuals created in partnership with DJW.

Entry to the new Global Poster Gallery to see How to Make a Poster is included with museum admission. Adult tickets to London Transport Museum cost £24 and include free return entry for a whole year. Off-peak tickets to visit at quieter times are available and cost £22. Kids aged 18 and under, go free!  

To book tickets visit:

www.ltmuseum.co.uk/visit/museum-guide/global-poster-gallery

Public Events  

A programme of public events celebrating the opening of the new Global Poster Gallery at London Transport Museum is on offer for adult and family visitors in October and November.

October Half Term: Perfect Posters – Until Sunday 29 October

Families can join creative half-term activities inspired by the amazing artworks on display in the new Global Poster Gallery. Kids can get crafty designing a perfect transport poster, settle in for a lively puppet theatre show, or join a trail through the Museum’s galleries to track down a secret artwork. Adult tickets offer free return entry for a whole year – and kids go free! Tickets and timed-entry slots can be booked in advance online: www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/family-events/october-half-term-perfect-posters

Museum Late: Posters and Posers – Friday 17 November

At the Posters and Posers Museum Late on Friday 17 November, visitors can peruse the newly opened Global Poster Gallery after dark. Expert curator talks will reveal the stories behind iconic artworks on display. Guests can get creative as they make their own retro posters and find their muse in life-drawing sessions before enjoying a drink from the bar. Over 18s only. Tickets cost £18 and must be booked online in advance: www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/friday-late/museum-late-posters-and-posers

Visitors can buy some of their favourite posters and a new set of postcards featured in the How to Make a Poster exhibition at the London Transport Museum shop in Covent Garden or online at www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk The prints of posters by artists Abram Games, Tom Eckersley, Edward McKnight Kauffer, Esther Cox and others are included in this special range launched to coincide with the opening of new Global Poster Gallery.

Tickets for groups and travel organisers 

Adult groups can also enjoy the new exhibition How to Make a Poste r as part of their visit to London Transport Museum. Groups of ten or more people can get 10% off and are charged at the off-peak rate. Group bookings are available 363 days a year, between 14:00 and 17:00, and there is a maximum capacity of 60 people per each 60-minute timeslot. For more information visit www.ltmuseum.co.uk/visit/tickets

My Collections 

People can delve deeper into London Transport Museum’s extensive collection of posters via its new website feature, My Collections. Website visitors can discover over 269,000 objects online – including 17,000 posters and artworks – and save their favourites to their own collection. My Collections is available from 11 September at www.ltmuseum.co.uk/my-collections

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Museum Late: Posters and Posers

This event has finished Took place on: Friday, 17th Nov 2023

Celebrate the opening of the new Global Poster Gallery, and discover iconic posters and artworks after dark. Enjoy expert talks revealing the stories behind the artworks on display: Join Head Curator Matt Brosnan for a highlights tour of the How to Make a Poster exhibition in the Global Poster Gallery. Naomi Games will discuss her father Abram Games’ career and working process through his poster work for London Transport. ‘Creating the Crowndel’: Our Head of Design Sau-Fun Mo will be in conversation with TfL’s Head of Design Jon Hunter to discuss the branding, assets, and decision-making when designing a modern poster for the King’s recent Coronation. Feeling creative? Print your own retro poster inspired by the collection, spread your message in a zine making workshop, or find your muse in a life-drawing session. Take part in a digital trail and explore our incredible exhibitions while enjoying a drink from one of our bars. This event is for over 18s only.

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Booking details and information at this website .

Disclaimer: All information given is correct at the time of compiling the listings. Any questions about the event should be directed to the event organiser. Photos and images used in this listing are supplied by the organiser.

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Subterranean London: The unmissable Underground Tours

A re you looking for a slightly different view of London? Although many of the city’s most notable sites are above ground, you will find that there is a lot of history, remarkable works of engineering, and stories to be told, underneath the Earth.

In an underground tour of London, you can walk behind the scenes of the oldest metro in the world, take a quick peek into former air-raid shelters used during the second world war, and walk the dusty passageways that were once used by former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill.

If riding in black cabs and queuing at Madame Tussauds is not your thing any more, then try looking below the surface to escape the crowds.

To help you out, I’ve listed some of my favorite underground London tours that take you through lost tunnels and uncover parts of London you didn’t know were there.

1. Cabinet War Rooms

2. chislehurst caves, 3. the london bridge experience and london tombs, 4. tour of the london underground, 5. brunel’s underground tunnel, 6. the hidden london tours by london transport museum, tours of london, more london travel tips.

Planning your trip to London last-minute?

Don’t forget to plan ahead when  visiting London ! Here are some of the top tours, hotels, and useful items you may need before your trip!

Top Experiences and Tours in London

• River Thames Cruise (a great way to see the city skyline!)
• The Tower of London Entry Ticket w/ Crown Jewels Exhibit (an unmissable attraction in London!)
• Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tour (to keep the kids happy!)
• London Eye Entry Ticket (to avoid long queues)

Top Accommodation and Hotels in London

• The Londoner Hotel (5* Hotel in Westminster, Ideal Location near Parliament)
• Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel (4* Hotel with Family Rooms in Kensington)
• The Assembly Covent Garden (3* Hotel in Leicester Square, 2 minutes to the metro and theatres)

The Best Underground London Tours

You’ll discover a hidden world of secret tunnels, terrifying tombs, elaborate train routes, and ancient cave systems on one of these underground London tours.

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Blitz with a trip down into the historic Cabinet War Rooms.

This warren of tunnels and bunkers under Whitehall was the headquarters for Britain’s war effort during WW2.

The tour starts by exploring the War Cabinet Room from where Winston Churchill planned Britain’s next move.

You can actually see the chair (complete with scratch marks on its arms) which he used during highly stressful meetings.

In the Map Room, nothing has changed since 16 Aug 1945, when the lights were finally switched off.

Wartime maps, colour-coded telephones, and even rationed sugar cubes remain exactly as they were when the war ended.

Check prices and availability for the Cabinet War Rooms tour here.

This network of 8000-year-old caves in the greater London area is an unexpected treat. The caves, which extend for 20 miles, were initially created as a result of flint and chalk mining.

You can take a lamp-lit tour deep into this labyrinth and explore the caves’ varied history; from their origins as mines to their subsequent use as an ammunition depot and then as an air raid shelter during WW2.

You can read more and check prices and availability here.

This spine-chilling historical tour takes you through the early days of London.

Begin by discovering the most haunted bridge in the world – London Bridge – then you’ll be taken through Roman, Viking, and Victorian times and you can watch Queen Boudicca defeat the Romans in battle and see the great fire of London erupt before your very eyes.

For a really frightful time, you’ll need to go deeper underground into the depths of the London Tombs.

This former plague pit has been given a Hollywood-inspired makeover and now boasts state-of-the-art special effects and live actors, to bring London’s bloody history to life.

Although The London Bridge Experience doesn’t have any age restrictions, all children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. The London Tombs is not suitable for children under 11.

We visited the London Bridge Experience with our 14- and 10-year-old. It was one of our teen’s favorite things to do in London . Our tween was a little scared. but she still loves sharing her memories from it.

Check prices and availability for the London Bridge Experience and London Tombs tour here.

You’re sure to have a renewed respect for the tube after this two-hour tour of the world’s oldest underground metro system.

This feat of engineering has been transporting passengers for 150 years and you’ll be able to see its original plans along with the steam engines that were first used.

Along your route, watch out for the ghost station at the British Museum and discover the secrets behind the original hand-dug tunnels.

Check prices and availability for the Underground Tube Tour here.

Discover how Isambard Kingdom Brunel helped his father Marc build one of the world’s first tunnels under a river.

The Thames tunnel, which is 170 years old, was originally designed to allow people and horses to cross the Thames without obstructing the passing ships.

Once known as the eighth wonder of the world, the tunnel was reopened in 2010 as part of the London Overground.

You can now descend into The Grand Entrance Hall at the tunnel shaft and even discover a secret chamber.

Tours can be organized through the Brunel Museum.

READ MORE: 15 of the best views in London (from above and below)

If you want to get off the beaten path, then the London Transport Museum, operated by Transport for London, have several underground tours you can take part in.

The tours are designed to take people to disused stations and secret sites, it’s an urban explorer’s dream come true.

You can choose to visit any of the following stations on a small group walking tour:

• Aldwych Station , which opened in 1907 but closed in 1994, and was the former “end of the line.” It was used as a shelter during the Blitz and is now an abandoned tube station. It has been featured in several film and television, such as Sherlock and Atonement. 
• Charing Cross , which is still in use today but became famous after it was used in the James Bond movie, Skyfall. This tour takes you to closed-off areas and the disused spaces of Charing Cross where you can learn about the station’s history and use in movie sets.
• Clapham South which opened after world war II and consists of eight deep-level shelters and miles of passageways.
• Down Street Station , also known as Winston Churchill’s secret station. It’s located between Green Park and Hyde Park Corner stations and was used as an air-raid shelter for the prime minister and was also the Railway Executive Committee’s bomb-proof headquarters.
• The lost tunnels of Euston . You can walk down the passageways and tunnels from Euston Station that are no longer in use, and still see vintage advertising posters adorning the walls.
• Go behind the scenes at Shepherd’s Bush station , one of the popular stations in London’s suburbs.
• Learn about modern day engineering with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Elizabeth Line from Tottenham Court Road.
• Kingsway trams tunnel tour. Before trains, the city used trams which consequently closed down. You can walk down the only remaining tram tunnel in London on this tour.

Tickets for the London Transport Museum tours are released throughout the year, so you will need to check their website and sign up for their newsletter to find out when tours are happening.

Final Thoughts on Underground Tours of London

I bet you didn’t realize how much of London’s underground world was accessible to tourists? I was pleasantly surprised too.

If you think about it, much of London’s history was served underground. During the 6-months of the Blitz, these underground stations were a place of refuge and safety.

Instead of being disused stations, they have been turned into attractions so tourists can see the city’s engineering triumphs and historical landmarks.

Whether you’re looking for a fun activity for a Saturday night or you’re curious about the history of the world’s oldest metro system, these tours are sure to be a highlight of your London trip.

Save Money on London Attractions

Get Your Guide has an incredible variety of tours, activities, tickets and passes with a list of handpicked tours and things to do in London.   Like this original Harry Potter Guided walking tour

• The London Sightseeing Pass: Our favorite of the tourist discount cards is the London Sightseeing Pass for their flexibility and diversity. They offer entry to top London attractions, plus quirky local tours, and discounts on shopping and eating out. S ee more information and get your pass here.
• The London Pass By GoCity : gives you free entry to 60+ top London attractions, Hop on and Off sightseeing tour, and fast track passes at popular London attractions.  Get your London Pass here .

Are you planning a trip to London but need more inspiration for your trip? Then you may find these other guides helpful…

• Things to Do in London
• London Travel Tips
• Ultimate guide to getting around London
• Arriving in London Alone and Without Any Money
• 5 of the best accommodation options in London from budget to luxury
• Why you should plan a London vacation
• Is the London Eye worth it?
• 21 Places to visit in London
• 3 Day London Itinerary

Have you explored London’s underground before? What do you recommend? Let us know in the comments.

• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• 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.

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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