Museum
The eastern wing of the General Staff building placed on the Dvortsovaya Square is the new exposition complex of the State Hermitage. It was built by an outstanding architect of Russian classicism K.I. Rossi in 1820-1830.
The main exhibition halls are combined into three enfilade lines: Dvortsovaya line (along the Dvortsovaya Square), Pevcheskaya line (along the Pevchesky proezd), Rechnaya line (along the embankment of the river Moika) and are supplemented by the central Large enfilade of internal atrium yards. A grand sweeping staircase, which is placed in the largest of five inner courtyards, leads to exposition area from the front entrance hall.
The museum’s second floor houses a theme exhibition “The Age of Art Nouveau”, which is devoted to the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Empire once situated in this building. Occupying the third floor are the exhibitions “Under the Sign of the Eagle. The Art of Empire style”; French Paintings and Sculptures of the 19th Century; Western European Art of the 19th Century (Germany. The Netherlands, Belgium), 18th century Russian Guards Museum, as well as a permanent display tracing the history of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire, which also used to occupy this part of the General Staff Building. French paintings of the second half of the 19th century, including the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists and the artists of the Nabi’s group, is on view in the fourth floor rooms of Sergey Shchukin and the Morozov Brothers Memorial Gallery. Several rooms present the works by Matisse, Picasso and other 20th century masters.
Temporary exhibitions are regularly held in the rooms of the General Staff Building. It is the main venue for contemporary art display.