What brings back the best memories of childhood? Favorite cartoons and animation, of course. Moscow is getting its very own museum devoted entirely to this fascinating and engaging art form. The Animation Museum opens in the capital on Thursday.

The new museum will partially occupy the premises of Moscow’s Polytechnic Museum right next to the Kremlin and the historic KGB building. It is set to become the biggest animation museum in Russia.

The main exhibition hall features over 100 dolls and puppets that starred in animated movies. Another hall will host temporary exhibitions.

The opening of the Museum coincided with the birthday of Russia’s celebrated animator Garri Bardin, who turned 70 on September 11. During the Soviet period he worked with Soyuzmultfilm, and in 1991 he founded his own studio, Stayer, which produced the feature-animated film The Ugly Duckling, which Bardin directed. Last year this animated movie, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story, opened the annual Russian Film Festival in London. The festival also hosted a retrospective of his best works. As a tribute to the distinguished animator, director and producer, the museum will open with his personal display.

The new museum’s curators have promised that more interactive exhibits will be coming soon. Some of the objects on show are already available for young visitors and their parents to play with.

In the future the museum plans to introduce master-classes and other interactive programs for visitors, but only if it can secure extra funding.