The Arsenal in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin was built by decree of Nicholas I in 1840-43, during the reconstruction of the northeastern part of the fortress. The building was intended for storing the ammunition and weapons of one of the infantry corps.
The monumentality of the structure echoes the style of the capital's barracks and warehouses. It is a symmetrical building in the style of classicism, with repetitive sections and distinctive tall arched openings inside.
For almost its entire existence, the Kremlin Arsenal served as a military warehouse, regardless of the ruling power. Changes in its functional purpose came only in 2003, when the arsenal was transferred to the State Center for Contemporary Art. Restoration and adaptation work lasted for almost eight years, and in 2011 the building was ready to receive visitors, though now they came not for uniforms, but for a dose of inspiration.
The first floor of the arsenal building is given over to exhibition halls, while on the second floor there is a cinema and concert hall, where films are shown and lectures and conferences are held.
