E.F. Liskun Museum of Animal Husbandry
In a historic building on Timiryazevskaya Street in Moscow, part of the legendary agricultural academy complex, there is a unique institution – the State Museum of Animal Husbandry named after Efim Fedotovich Liskun. This museum is not merely a collection of exhibits but an active scientific and educational center where academic knowledge takes material form, and historical heritage serves as the foundation for modern research in the field of zootechnics. The institution was established in 1950 on the basis of the Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A. Timiryazev (now the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy) as an educational support unit. Its founding is directly linked to the work of the outstanding scientist, Academician of the All-Union Academy of Agricultural Sciences named after V.I. Lenin, Efim Fedotovich Liskun (1873-1958) – the founder of Russian zootechnical science. It was Liskun who, as the historian of agricultural education A.I. Petrov notes, “laid the systematic foundations for the evaluation of farm animals by conformation and productivity, creating the scientific basis for breeding” (A.I. Petrov, The Development of Zootechnics in Russia, 1960). In 1998, the museum was officially named after its founder. The institution holds federal status and is housed in a building that is a cultural heritage site, fulfilling a threefold mission: scientific research, educational support, and public outreach. The museum’s collections include over 2,500 items, chronologically spanning the period from the 18th century to the present day. The exhibition is organized into several key sections: Historical section: Demonstrates the genesis of zootechnical science in Russia through portraits of scientists (E.F. Liskun, E.A. Bogdanov, M.F. Ivanov), rare editions of 18th-19th-century textbooks, and archival documents. Animal conformation and constitution: Includes anatomical preparations (stuffed animals, skeletons), models, and an extensive photo archive, vividly illustrating the methods for assessing farm animal body structure developed by Liskun’s school. Breed diversity: Features collections of wool samples from sheep, goats, and alpacas; horn preparations; and detailed models demonstrating morphological differences between breeds. Productivity and processing technologies: Contains samples of livestock products from different years, collections of hides and skins, as well as historical tools (instruments for shearing sheep and primary wool processing). Scientific instruments: Displays devices for zootechnical analysis (lactometers, butyrometers, microscopes from the late 19th to mid-20th century), breeding program schemes, and documents on genetics. Ethnographic collection: Reflects the livestock-keeping traditions of the peoples of Russia, including tools of herders, elements of shepherds’ national clothing, and household items. Among the unique exhibits are: Skulls and skeletons of animals used in the classic works of E.F. Liskun; Authentic measuring instruments from the 19th-20th centuries; A reference collection of fine-wool sheep wool assembled in the 1930s; A photo archive of expeditions to study indigenous breeds; The personal archive of E.F. Liskun, including his working notes and awards. The museum functions as a living element of the educational system of the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. It hosts mandatory practical training for students of the Faculty of Animal Engineering, thematic seminars, and lectures. Special educational programs for schoolchildren have been developed to guide them toward careers in agriculture. The State Museum of Animal Husbandry named after E.F. Liskun performs the critically important function of preserving and actualizing scientific heritage. It serves as a bridge between fundamental science, the educational process, and the practice of modern animal husbandry.
Address: Moscow, Listvennichnaya al, 14
