State-operated university in Moscow, Russia.
Founded in 1755 by the linguist Mikhail Lomonosov , it is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious university in Russia. By the later 19th century it had established itself as a major centre of scientific research and scholarship. It maintained its preeminence following the Russian Revolution, and it continued to expand during the Soviet period. It now has more than 350 laboratories, a number of research institutes, several observatories, and various affiliated museums. Its library is one of the largest in the world (8.5 million vol.).