The State Russian Museum

The State Russian Museum reasonably belongs to the list of the largest museums in the world. Unlike the Hermitage, whose expositions introduce the world art, the Russian Museum is the first art museum of Russian fine art. The idea of creating such a museum belongs to Alexander III, but the project was realized after his death.

The central part of the exposition of the Russian Museum is concentrated in the Mikhailovsky Palace on the Arts Square. This palace was erected by the architect Charles Rossi for the Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich in 1819-1825. In addition, the museum complex of the Russian Museum includes: the Exhibition Building Benoit, the Engineering Castle, the Stroganov and Marble Palaces, Peter's Lodge on the Petrovskaya Embankment. The main city gardens of St. Petersburg - Summer and Mikhailovsky are also administered by the Russian Museum.

The museum’s collection includes picturesque, graphic and sculptural works by Russian artists from different eras, made in different genres and styles, as well as a variety of works of decorative and applied art created by Russian masters - a total of more than 400,000 exhibits. Here you can see everything, from unique examples of ancient Russian art to the paintings of contemporary artists.