The building of the National Museum of Tatarstan is opposite the Spasskaya (Savior) Tower of the Kazan Kremlin. The expositions related to the history, culture and everyday life of Tatarstan from the ancient times to our days are held at the museum.
The museum was created on the initiative of the university professors at the end of the 19th century. It was based on the collection of А. F. Likhachov, a then well-known archaeologist and historian, given to the city by his brother Admiral Likhachov. Later, it was added with some other local collections, which make it possible to create a full-blown museum.
Now the large collections of the national museum are on display in the building of the former Gostiny Dvor. The expositions of artifacts discovered during the diggings on the territory of Tatarstan are in the first halls of the museum. Further on are the expositions devoted to the Russian period in the history of Tatarstan. Among the other things, one can see the famous carriage of Empress Catherine II in those halls. The exhibitions of national Tatar clothes and household items are also held there.
