The history of the development of a museum in the Moscow Kremlin covers almost three hundred years and involves periods of flourish and prosperous research activity as well as periods of stagnation.

The Kremlin and its cathedrals, churches, palaces witnessed several tragic events which had taken place during foreign invasions and civil coflicts. There was a time when the museum's staff had to assume the responsibility for the preservation and evacuation of the Kremlin precious collections — tsars' treasuries, historical artifacts and state relics — and they honourably performed their duties to their service and country.

After a difficult period of political perturbations overmhelmed the country in the early XXth century, by 1920s there has been formed a unique museum complex in Moscow Kremlin territory, which included the Armoury Chamber, the Assumption, Archangel's and Annunciation Cathedrals, the Church of Laying of Our Lady's Holy Robe, the Ivan the Great Bell-Tower Complex and the XVIIth-century Patriarch's Palace.

In the course of its centuries-old history the name of the museum and its administration have changed lots of times. Nevertheless the Kremlin remains one of the most beautiful and famous architectural ensembles of the world, included into the World Heritage list of UNESCO; its collection have always been of high historical and cultural value, carefully preserved and studied by the museun's team of researchers.

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The decree «On rules of the Management and Preservation of Antiques at the Armoury and Artisans' Chambers» was signed by Alexander I on 10th of March 1806. The project was initiated at the suggestion of Peter Valuev – the supervisor of the Kremlin Construction Expedition and the Kremlin Armoury and Artisans' Chambers. The decree has appeared to mark the beginning of the Kremlin museum's history, and to become the platform for the formation and development of the new Kremlin museum's structure and its activities.

The Kremlin royal depositories, storages and workshop were integrated into a museum, named the Armoury Chamber. The newly established museum was enriched with precious gifts — historical relics, ancient artifacts and artworks. In 1810 by order of the Emperor Alexander I the collection of the XVIIIth-century arms of the Russian emperors, known as the Saint-Petersburg Ryust-kamera, was transferred to the Armoury Chamber.

A new museum building for the Armoury collection was projected by the pupil of Matvei Kazakov — architect Ivan Egotov — and erected close to the Trinity gates in 1810. The construction works were interrupted with the outbreak of the war. From March, 1811, to June, 1812, the museum staff has been preparing the collection to be moved to the new building; and when the later inventory of the Armoury treasury has been carried out the Napoleon's troops entered the territory of Russia and hostilities broke out.

fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti
http://www.kreml.ru/en-Us/museums-moscow-kremlin/