The Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts holds a collection spanning Russian art from the 18th century to the present, with particular strength in Ural-region decorative arts — the malachite objects, cast-iron work, and lapidary pieces that reflect the region's mineral wealth and industrial traditions. The Russian painting collection covers the major movements from the Wanderers through the Russian Avant-Garde and Soviet realism, with several quality works by artists whose names are less familiar outside Russia but whose technical skill is impressive.
The jewel of the collection is the Kasli Cast-Iron Pavilion — an entire room of intricately cast iron panels, pillars, and decorative elements that won the Grand Prix at the 1900 Paris World Exhibition. To see it is to understand why the Ural foundries were internationally famous. The filigree work in cast iron is extraordinary, far more delicate than the material suggests is possible. The museum is well worth a half-day and is inexpensive by any standard.