Tula State Museum of Arms

Obverse

a relief image of the National Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation, above it along the rim the inscription in a semicircle ‘РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ’ (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) framed with paired diamonds on both sides, under the coat of arms are the chemical symbol and fineness of the metal on the left and fine metal content and the mint mark on the right, at the bottom centre in three lines are the inscription ‘БАНК РОССИИ’ (BANK OF RUSSIA), the coin denomination ‘3 РУБЛЯ’ (3 RUBLES), and the year of issue ‘2025 г.’ (2025).

Reverse

a relief image of the modern building of the Tula State Museum of Arms, the image of a backsword hilt and an ornament, laser treated for matte finishing, and the inscription ‘ТУЛЬСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ МУЗЕЙ ОРУЖИЯ’ (TULA STATE MUSEUM OF ARMS) around the upper circumference.

Authors

Designers: E.V. Kramskaya (obverse), A.V. Gnidin (reverse).
Sculptors: A.A. Dolgopolova (obverse), A.V. Gnidin (reverse).
Mint: Saint Petersburg Mint (СПМД).
Edge: 300 corrugations.

Discover more

The Tula State Museum of Arms is one of the oldest Russian museums. Its collection dates back to 1724, when Peter the Great issued an executive order prohibiting the Tula Arms Plant from ‘...recasting or breaking antique cannons and fusils, which should be placed in armouries for storage as curiosities’.

In early 1870s, General Vladimir Notbek, Plant Manager, approached the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate with the proposal to establish a museum as a separate division of the plant, which would require dedicated space and equipment. On 30 August 1873, a ceremonial opening of the museum was held.

In 1924, the museum was open to the public. The USSR authority responsible for the military acquisition and equipment of the armed forces ruled as follows: ‘Given the great historical importance of the Tula arms plants to the Republic, it is hereby strictly ordered to collect historical armaments held at the plants and to organise a Soviet arms museum at the First State Arms Plants’.

In 1985, the museum was granted a new building. It was the building of the former Epiphany Cathedral, which had been transferred to the Tula Arms Plant back in 1979 for restoration and subsequent use as a museum site. The plant repaired and restored the historical and architectural monument that had nearly perished.

In 1996, the museum became a state institution. Simultaneously, it was decided to construct a new building for it. The decision was driven by the need to expand the exhibition areas, as the museum’s collection had been supplemented with a large number of modern arms over the past several years.

The new building was commissioned in March 2012. It has six floors and is topped with a dome, resembling a helmet of an ancient Russian warrior. The museum’s exhibition area totals 5,600 square metres, which is more than five times larger than the old building.

Source: https://www.museum-arms.ru.