The founder of the Tretyakov Gallery is a private person, Pavel Tretyakov. He started his collection of paintings in the mid-19th century. The Tretyakov Gallery founding year is considered to be 1856 (although the first art works were acquired earlier). Tretyakov Art Gallery was opened for public in 1867. Then its name was Moscow City gallery by Pavel and Sergei Tretyakov. At that time, the museum's collection contains has 1276 paintings, 471 drawings, 10 sculptures of Russian artists; 84 paintings made by artists from other countries. Pavel Tretyakov donated his art gallery to the city of Moscowin August 1892.
The Tretyakov Gallery collection includes Russian paintings, icons, graphics, sculpture and other works of arts and crafts. The main building of the Tretyakov Gallery is located in “Lavrushinsky pereulok” line in Moscow (between Lavrushinsky and Malaya Tolmachevskaya lines).
It is possible to see such famous works of art as Andrei Rublev's Trinity icon, The Appearance of Christ before the People by Alexander Ivanov, Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan by Ilya Repin, The Apotheosis of War by Vasily Vereshchagin, Kazimir Malevich's 1915 Black Square, "Girl with Peaches" by Valentin Serov and many other works of famous artists in the museum.
The “State Tretyakov Gallery” museum association also includes: a complex of buildings at Lavrushinsky pereulok 10, an art gallery at “Krimsky Val” street 10, Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, museum-workshop of A.S. Golubkina, house-museum of V.M. Vasnetsov, Vasnetsov apartments, P. Korin house museum.
It is believed that the main building of the Tretyakov Gallery is most often visited by tourists. Branch of the museum on Krymsky Val frequently visit interested in contemporary art Moscow residents and foreigners living in Moscow.