Archangelskoye is among the best of the many architectural ensembles created in the vicinity of Moscow in the late 18th early 19th century. In this ensemble in the Russian Classical style everything harmonises - the palace, the main courtyard surrounded by a majestic colonnade, the regular park of rare beauty and the grill work of the main gates. Archangelskoye was first mentioned in the 16th century. In the middle of the 17th century the Archangel Mikhail church was built in the village's centre on the high bank of the Moscow river. And the village of Archangelskoye derives its name from the colourful church. The appearance of the village began to change in the first third of the 18th century when Prince D.M.Golitsin (1665 - 1737), built a new residence outside the village and surrounded it with a "French garden". This estate was very much in the traditions of the time of Peter the Great. At the end of the 18th century Prince N.A.Golitsin (1751 - 1809) began to remodel the estate into a large palace ensemble. In 1780 he commissioned the French architect De Gerne to create a palace ensemble. In 1809 N.A.Golitsin died, while the palace was still under construction. In 1810 Archangelskoye was purchased by Prince N.B.Yusupov (1751 - 1831), one of the richest Russian nobles, a known collector and art lover. He was an admirer of Voltaire and Rousseau.

The Prince was the biggest land owner in Russia, with some 20 thousand serfs. In the spring of 1812, after the completion of the palace the prince's collection of art, known not only in Russia but throughout Europe, was moved here. It included over 500 paintings by European 17th-19th century masters. Many of these paintings are still to be seen in Archangelskoye. Together with the collection of first-rate sculpture, furniture, china and bronze they create an interior ensemble of rare beauty. Of the collection now housed in the museum the art gallery deserves special mention. In the collection of the Western art there are two paintings by A. Van Dyck, "A Frightened Bather" by F. Boucher, "The Combat" by F. Vouverman, and canvases by C. Vernet, Ch. Lebran, C. Vanloo, Ch. Caraffet. The French, Dutch and Italian schools of painting are best represented. The palace's interior is decorated by a multitude of light fixtures, excellent furniture sets of Karelian Birch made by Russian craftsmen in the beginning of the 19th century, as well as ancient sculpture, Chinese and Japanese china and ceramics by local serf craftsmen.

One of the best libraries outside of Moscow has also been preserved in Archangelskoye. It is housed on the second floor of the palace. There are more than 16 thousand volumes dating to the 16th - 19th centuries, many very rare. Of great interest is also the theatre that was built in 1818 by the architect and decorator P.G.Gonzaga (1751 - 1831). He painted for the theatre 12 different backdrops and a curtain. Four of these have survived till the present. They are only remaining works of this artist. The latest structure on the estate is the Yussupov burial vault in Archangelskoye by the architect R.I.Klein (1858 - 1924) in 1916. The interior of this building is richly decorated by frescos and bas-reliefs by the artist I.I.Nivinsky (1880 - 1933). This burial vault was never used. It now houses a part of the collection of paintings, etchings and ceramics.

In May, 1919, the Archangelskoye ensemble became a museum. The visitors come here to see one of the most outstanding examples of Russian and European cultural heritage.