All-Russian Exhibition Center (formerly VDNKh)

Description:

• It used to be called the Exhibit of the Achievements of the People's Economy, and the park's design certainly has a propagandistic feel, with its "friendship of peoples" fountains and pavilions once used to show off the fruits of Soviet factories, the nuclear energy industry, and collective farms. The stunning centerpiece is a fountain with gilded statues of women representing each of the 15 former Soviet republics. Its current contents reflect the hard-core capitalism of today's Moscow. Some halls are packed with vendors selling the latest DVD players, cellphones, and PDAs; others hawk in-line skates and high-speed bikes; still others have stalls packed with stuffed animals and Chinese-made plastic toys. Some pavilions still house international expos, from high-tech fairs to sugar refinery trade shows. Amusement park rides are scattered throughout the grounds, with the fast and enormous Ferris wheel a major draw. The park is far from the center of town, but if you're staying nearby or have kids, it can make for a fun afternoon. Muscovites call it by its Soviet acronym, VDNKh.

• © Frommer's 2012