Fans of the legendary Udarnik museum in Moscow will rejoice at the news of the museum's return after nearly a decade of absence from Russia's cultural scene. Famous throughout the nation as a cultural icon, two years of turn-around have lead to the Udarnik's restoration.

The legendary Udarnik (“Slugger” in Russian), “will once again become one of Moscow’s cultural beacons, after disappearing from the scene for almost a decade,” said entrepreneur and Russian philanthropist Chalva Breus.

 The ArtChronika Foundation he heads has been granted a 49-year lease by the building’s owner (the Moscow Municipality) to transform the venue into a museum of contemporary art.

Built in 1931, and open even during the darkest hours of World War II, the Udarnik has been used alternately as a cinema and a theatre for decades. By the 1990s, however, the building had gradually deteriorated and the ground floor had become occupied by a gambling den.

Read More on indrus.in