Archaeological Museum-reserve "Tanais" is located not far from Rostov-on-don and created on the basis of archaeological monument of Federal value – the ancient settlement of Tanais.

Tanais in ancient times was one of the largest shopping centres in the North of the black sea, the far North-Eastern center of civilization. In the first years of our era Tanais was part of the Bosporus Kingdom. The Romans considered him a borderline between the civilized world and the wild steppe nomadic tribes. Even Pliny the Younger called these places the boundary between Europe and Asia, which, incidentally, was not mistaken.

In 1823 Tanais was opened during the excavations of the famous historian and archeologist I. A. Stempkovskiy. Excavations were conducted on the personal order of first, Nicholas I, and later under the leadership of the Imperial archaeological Commission. In 1860, the Tanais opened a second time during the construction of the railway. Despite the fact that since 1870 the site was declared a monument under state protection, saving no one did. Only in 1960, Rostov University scientists and staff of the Rostov Museum of local lore in the lower part-the don archaeological expedition began to research settlement under Ledwigowa, and a year later the area was declared a Museum-reserve. Today, visitors have several archaeological sites – the necropolis of Tanais, the settlement of Tanais, the stone beam (Paleolithic) and the fortress of the XVII-XVIII century Buttercup.

For visitors opened the exhibition grounds and Museum historical costume. One of the tour routes displays "the king's mound" is the highest of several in Tanais. Over the years the Museum-reserve became one of the most famous centres of culture of the don region, here every season were festivals of art song, poetry festivals, starred movies. The historical actors of the theater "Odeon" is a theatrical performance in the ancient Greek style, designed for the arrival of the newlyweds and tourists.