Moscow Zoo
The oldest and the biggest zoo in Russia, has over 1000 animal species.
Moscow has many attractions, but many of them are not friendly to a non-Russian-speaker. English-language newspapers like The Moscow Times (http://www.themoscowtimes.com), Element (http://www.elementmoscow.ru), Moscow News and others can help to navigate towards English-language friendly attractions and services.
Moscow has two circuses, the Nikulin circus on Tsvetnoi Bulvar metro Tsvetnoi Bulvar, and the new circus near the University. Tickets can be bought for as little as 200 rubles, and even these seats are good. Touts may be selling tickets outside and can save you a lot of queueing, and they'll speak more English than the ticket office. Sometimes they are selling tickets at the cover price, and sometime at twice the price. Ask and make sure before parting with your cash.
The Obraztsov Puppet Theatre at the very north part of the Garden Ring has performances during the winter in the evening. Everything is in Russian and meant for children, but the stories are simple and quite understandable even if you don't understand Russian. There is a small box in front of the building where a puppet appears every hour and does a performance. At 12 midday all of the puppets appear for a short but entertaining appearance.
The Novaya Opera new opera in the Hermitage gardens features operas mainly in Russian most evenings, starting at 7PM. Tickets are normally available from 200 rubles. Ticket office is open from 12PM-3PM and then again from 4PM-7PM.
Make sure you visit a Russian bathhouse banya while in Moscow, as it's an important Russian tradition and Russians, especially 40+, go at least once a week. Have a hot steam, followed by a good whipping with birch branches. While its not the most pleasant experience, the benefits you'll receive afterward will enable you to understand why Russians are loyal to their banya. Most famous banya is the Sanduny or Sandunovskaya banya.
Like any city with snowy winters, Moscow is a great place to go ice skating. Gorky Park is most famous but overcrowded and ice is not always in ideal condition; Bosco rink on a Red Square is glamourous and easy, although bit costly and not too favoured by advanced skaters. Luzhniki has arguably the best ice, although service can be tough and open hours are not always convenient. The winter rinks at Chistye Prudy or Izmaylovsky Park can be other alternatives.
MiGs over Moscow
This great adventure started after the end of the USSR, due to the lack of money in the army. In the beginning flights in MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 started from Zhukovsky Airbase. Today this base is closed for passenger flights, but flights in MiG-29 Fulcrum and L-39 Albatros jets are still possible from other airbases near Moscow.
Kva-Kva Water Park
Water Park affiliated with Maxima Hotels discounts for guests. There are 7 high trills 90-120 meters length and a pleasant surprise for extremers â Tsunami trill â unique in Russia. There are also 4-line trills â Multislide and a special area for kids â a small tropical town with shallow pool. Kva-Kva Lagoone offers hydromassage. Thereâs also pure Russian bath, Finnish sauna, Turkish bath hamam and Kva-Kva SPA-salon. Night discos take place every weekend, with free admission for Maxima Hotel guests.
Hot air balloon ride
You will need a work visa which is not an easy process. The visa needs to be arranged well in advance of travelling.It is possible to work in Moscow, you just need to find a good company to support you.
Moscow remains the educational center of Russia and the former USSR. There are 222 institutes of higher education, including 60 state universities & 90 colleges. Some of these offer a wide-spectrum of programs, but most are centered around a specific field. This is a hold-over from the days of the USSR, when Sovietwide there were only a handful of wide-spectrum "universities" and a large number of narrow-specialization "institutes" mostly in Moscow & St.Petersburg. Moscow offers some of the best business/management, science, & arts schools in the world. Moscow is also a popular destination for foreign students to learn Russian.
State universities
LMSU Center for International Education
The largest school in Moscow nearly 50 000 students. Mostly liberal arts & the sciences. Courses only in Russian, except:
Russian courses from 4 wks-3 semesters: Pre-university Russian to prepare for a Russian-language university education, teaches jargon/vocabulary for 6 fields, preparation to be a teacher of Russian, & 6 levels of Russian for fun.
Moscow State Institute of International Relations(MGIMO)
On of the most prestigious foreign relations universities in the world, this school of 5000 has trained over two thirds of Russian government officials and many others in the CIS. Courses only in Russian.
Moscow Aviation Institute (State University of Aerospace Technologies)
Specializes in Aviation-related science & engineering. Courses in Russian, but the school has "Pre-school" Russian courses & a tolerance for some English.
Russian State Medical University
Otherwise referred to as Pirogov institute, it recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary. It has a huge campus for an exclusively Medical faculty. Presumably Russian-language only.
I.M Sechenov First State Moscow Medical University
As the name suggests, this school offers Medical & Pharmacological degrees exclusively. It claims to be the oldest medical school in Russia and once to be a medical department of Lomonosov Moscow State University. Courses in Russian, but Russian courses for English-speakers offered. First 2-3 years courses can be in English, afterwards in clinical years mainly in russian language.
People's Friendship University of Russia
Comparable to an American public university, this school offers everything from French to Engineering to Hotel Management. It has European accreditation & specializes in teaching foreign students. Courses in Russian, but offers many Russian-language courses.