It is not in vain that St. Petersburg is called the "cultural capital" of Russia: here are the largest and most famous museums in our country. To visit St. Petersburg and not visit at least one is a huge omission.
If you don’t have time to go through everything, then here is a list of ten of the most famous museums in St. Petersburg, and for every taste. Here is the history of the navy, and religion, and genetic anomalies, and much more.
10. The Aurora Museum
Ship-Aurora Museum (bears this status since 1957) was launched May 24, 1900, although it was put into operation only in 1903.
He participated in the Russian-Japanese war, and after that - in the First World War. In addition, he played an important role in the October Revolution: it was from his guns that a blank shot was fired, which served as a signal for the storming of the Winter Palace. Thanks to this, the cruiser has become one of the main symbols of those events.
It was repeatedly used for filming movies: the first time it was shown on the screen in Soviet silent cinema. It was the picture "Ferris Wheel", the main character of which served on the Aurora.
9. Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic
Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic founded in 1930, and the single-faith St. Nicholas Church (built in the first half of the 19th century) was chosen as a building for it.
It was created during large-scale studies of the Arctic, which began in the 20s of the last century.
Now the permanent exhibition presents sections on the nature of the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as the history of research and development of these lands.
There are guided tours for children and adults, where you can get a lot of impressions and learn a lot.
8. Museum of theatrical and musical art
This popular Museum of Theater and Music It is the first of its kind in Russia and the largest: its collection includes about 450,000 exhibits.
A collection is exhibited in the halls, which will allow you to learn everything about the theater in Russia: the emergence of this art form in the 18th century, the most striking events from the Silver Age of the theater, how the St. Petersburg scene lived in the 19th century, etc.
It is especially interesting to look at the exhibits telling about the times of the Iron Curtain, when they tried to censor the productions and in every way limit the freedom of expression on the stage.
7. Museum of the History of Religion
Museum of the History of Religion, which under the Soviet Union was a museum of religion and atheism, is the only one in Russia and one of the few in the world.
The collection has over 180,000 exhibits, and the age of the oldest of them dates back to the VI millennium BC.
Here you can learn everything not only about the history of Russian Orthodoxy, but also get acquainted with the religions of other nations. This is not about Catholicism or Buddhism, but about such little-known beliefs as Shintoism, monotheism, polytheism, and even archaic rites and religions of the Ancient World.
Since 2011, the museum has opened a department for children, called the “Beginning of Beginnings”. In an accessible interactive form, the child is immersed in mythology and history, presenting information without unnecessary difficulties.
6. Museum of the Political History of Russia
Everyone likes to discuss politics in Russia, and it’s not necessary to understand the subject of discussion: you can express your opinion even so.
Moreover, not everyone knows that in St. Petersburg there is the first in the country historical and political museumwhere you can find out a bunch of useful information.
It contains evidence of the political life of our society from the 18th century to the present day.
More than 470,000 exhibits help shape the political culture of citizens, as the museum management is confident. Despite such a relevant topic, there are relatively few visitors: only 140,000 a year. Perhaps, thanks to this material, they will slightly increase, which we will only be happy with.
5. The State Memorial Museum of Defense and Siege of Leningrad
State Memorial Museum of Defense and Siege of Leningrad It was opened immediately after the war in 1946, and the collection of captured German weapons served as the basis (the exhibition itself took place immediately after the blockade was lifted in 1944).
In 1952, it was closed due to Stalinist repressions, and the reopening took place only in 1989, when the government was actively engaged in the rehabilitation of people and objects.
The exposition is divided into departments, each of which is devoted to the most important events: the Tikhvin operation, the “January Thunder”, battles for the Sinyavinsky heights, etc.
In 2018, the museum was closed for the reconstruction of the exhibition and more recently it has become available for visiting in an updated form, which is another reason to visit here.
4. Russian Ethnographic Museum
Russian Ethnographic Museum It was founded in 1902 by decree of Emperor Nicholas II and is now one of the largest in Europe.
One of its main advantages is its extensive geography. Here you can learn not only about the ethnography of the Russian people, but also get to know others.
The museum has departments dedicated to Belarus, Ukraine, the Baltic states, the Far East and Siberia, the Volga region, etc.
You can come here with children, as the Children's Ethnographic Center operates on the basis of the museum, in which information is presented in a playful, accessible way.
3. Central Naval Museum
Founded in 1709, central naval museum It is one of the oldest in Russia, as well as one of the largest in Europe.
It appeared thanks to Peter I and at first had a rather modest size, gradually growing.
Now its exposition includes more than 700,000 exhibits exhibited in six branches. Among them - the already mentioned ship-museum "Aurora".
The main pride is the shipboard stock with more than 2,000 layouts, striking in their detail. The decoration of this collection is the boat (small one-masted ship) of Peter I “St. Nicholas”, which is often called the “grandfather” of all Russian shipbuilding.
2. Kunstkamera
Another museum - Kunstkamerafounded by Peter the Great, who also became the first in Russia.
He is best known for his Anatomical section, which contains a huge number of exhibits with various anomalies.
A lamb with two heads, Siamese twins, a baby with cyclopia, etc. The sight, frankly, is not for the faint of heart, but still there are millions of daredevils every year.
In addition, the museum has departments dedicated to the peoples of different countries and continents: Africa, Japan, North America, Mongolia, China, Indonesia and India.
1. The Hermitage
The Hermitage was founded in 1764 by Empress Catherine II and initially exhibits from her private collection were exhibited.
The modern Hermitage consists of six connected buildings, the most famous of which is the Winter Palace. There are 365 halls in total, so it’s unlikely that it will be possible to see the exposition in a day.
Over 5.3 million people come here annually, making it one of the top ten most visited museums in the world.
The museum does not focus on one era or direction: in it, along with paintings by Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci, archaeological finds and works of primitive people are presented.
Vermeer, Bosch, Titian, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Van Dyck, Claude Lorren - this is not a complete list of outstanding artists whose paintings can be admired in the Hermitage.