The State Museum of Russian Political History originates in the first State Museum of Revolution founded in October, 9, 1919, Petrograd. According to the creators' projects it was considered to be the first Russian museum that would reflect completely how the revolutionary activities of the world were developed and improved. During the first 10 years the main goal was to form the collections that would demonstrate the history of class struggle in Russia and in West (from Pugatchev's rising to the beginning of the creation of socialism, from the Great French Revolution to the creation of the COmmunist International). In January, 11, 1920 the museum greeted its first visitors.

 
Originally this mansion was built in 1904-1906 by the architect Gogen's plan and it was owned by the brilliant ballet dancer Matilda Kshesinskaya.

In 1917 Kshesinskaya's comfortable house was turned into the bolsheviks' staff. Right there since March to June 1917 there were the Central and Petrograd Committees of Russian Social Democratic Party of Workers (RSDRP), the bolsheviks' military organization and the soldier club "Pravda" ("The Truth").

The balcony of the building served as a tribune for Lenin's speech. In the present time it's re-created Lenin's study in the room of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the RSDRP.

The museum collection (more than 400 thousands of exhibits) and its fortune describe that epoche completely. It features original objects, documents, photographs on the history of Russia in the XIX-XX centuries. A special section is devoted to the famous Russian ballerina M.Kshessinskaya, the former owner of the mansion. Other exhibitions include "Deeming on the State Duma (The history of Russian parliamentarism in the XX century)", "Thanks to Comrade Stalin... (Individual and power in the USSR in 1920-30s)".