The State Russian Museum (Russian: Государственный Русский музей), formerly the Russian Museum of His Imperial Majesty Alexander III (Russian: Русский Музей Императора Александра III), located on Arts Square in Saint Petersburg, is the world's largest depository of Russian fine art. It is also one of the largest museums in the country with total area than 30 hectares. The museum was established on April 13, 1895, upon enthronement of the emperor Nicholas II to commemorate his father, Alexander III. Its original collection was composed of artworks taken from the Hermitage Museum, Alexander Palace, and the Imperial Academy of Arts. The task to restructure the interiors according to the need of future exposition was imposed on Vasily Svinyin. The grand opening took place on the 17 of March, 1898. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, many private collections were nationalized and relocated to the Russian Museum. These included Kazimir Malevich's Black Square. The main building of the museum is the Mikhailovsky Palace, the Neoclassical former residence of Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich, erected in 1819-25 to a design by Carlo Rossi on Square of Arts in St Petersburg. Upon the death of the Grand Duke the residence was named after his wife as the Palace of the Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna, and became famous for its many theatrical presentations and balls. Some of the halls of the palace retain the Italianate opulent interiors of the former imperial residence. Other buildings and locations, assigned to the Russian museum, include the Summer Palace of Peter I (1710–14) with the Summer Garden, the Marble Palace of Count Orlov (1768–85), St Michael's Castle of Emperor Paul (1797–1801), the cabin of Peter the Great, and the Rastrelliesque Stroganov Palace on the Nevsky Prospekt (1752–54). The project of Benois Building (or 'Corpus Benua') was developed in 1910-1912 by the famous Russian architect Leon Benois. The construction started in 1914, but was interrupted by the First World War. After Russian revolution, in 1919 the Benois Building was completed. In 1930s it was assigned to the Russian museum. Today the collection shows Russian art from the 10th century up to the 21st century, covering all genres from the old Russian icon painting to contemporary art. The Ethnographic Department was originally set up in a building specially designed by Vladimir Svinyin in 1902. The museum soon housed gifts received by Emperor's family from representatives of peoples inhabiting various regions of the Russian Empire. Further exhibits were purchased by Nicholas II and other members of his family as State financing was not enough to purchase new exhibits. In 1934, the Ethnographic Department was given the status of an independent museum: the Russian Museum of Ethnography.
State Russian Museum (Russkiy Muzey) Tours and Tickets
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The State Russian Museum (Russian: Государственный Русский музей), formerly the Russian Museum of His Imperial Majesty Alexander III (Russian: Русский Музей Императора Александра III), located on Arts Square in Saint Petersburg, is the world's largest depository of Russian fine art. It is also one of the largest museums in the country with total area than 30 hectares. The museum was established on April 13, 1895, upon enthronement of the emperor Nicholas II to commemorate his father, Alexander III. Its original collection was composed of artworks taken from the Hermitage Museum, Alexander Palace, and the Imperial Academy of Arts. The task to restructure the interiors according to the need of future exposition was imposed on Vasily Svinyin. The grand opening took place on the 17 of March, 1898. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, many private collections were nationalized and relocated to the Russian Museum. These included Kazimir Malevich's Black Square. The main building of the museum is the Mikhailovsky Palace, the Neoclassical former residence of Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich, erected in 1819-25 to a design by Carlo Rossi on Square of Arts in St Petersburg. Upon the death of the Grand Duke the residence was named after his wife as the Palace of the Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna, and became famous for its many theatrical presentations and balls. Some of the halls of the palace retain the Italianate opulent interiors of the former imperial residence. Other buildings and locations, assigned to the Russian museum, include the Summer Palace of Peter I (1710–14) with the Summer Garden, the Marble Palace of Count Orlov (1768–85), St Michael's Castle of Emperor Paul (1797–1801), the cabin of Peter the Great, and the Rastrelliesque Stroganov Palace on the Nevsky Prospekt (1752–54). The project of Benois Building (or 'Corpus Benua') was developed in 1910-1912 by the famous Russian architect Leon Benois. The construction started in 1914, but was interrupted by the First World War. After Russian revolution, in 1919 the Benois Building was completed. In 1930s it was assigned to the Russian museum. Today the collection shows Russian art from the 10th century up to the 21st century, covering all genres from the old Russian icon painting to contemporary art. The Ethnographic Department was originally set up in a building specially designed by Vladimir Svinyin in 1902. The museum soon housed gifts received by Emperor's family from representatives of peoples inhabiting various regions of the Russian Empire. Further exhibits were purchased by Nicholas II and other members of his family as State financing was not enough to purchase new exhibits. In 1934, the Ethnographic Department was given the status of an independent museum: the Russian Museum of Ethnography.
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Accessibility for wheels
- Easy without assistance
- Step-Free
- Accessible Toilet
- Access with Portable Ramp
- Accessible elevator
- Wide doors >= 75 cm and < 90 cm
Access for Seniors
- Recommended time for visit мore than 3 hours
- Distance from drop-off location to entrance: Less than 20 m
- Physical difficulty level - 3
For Individuals with Hearing Loss
- Video Guide
- Hearing kits
- Speech To Text
Access for Visually Impaired
- Braille description
- Audio Guide
- Place has Special Guide Service
- Service animals permitted
- Touch Gallery
Hey there, fellow explorers! Imagine stepping into a world where history speaks through whispers and echoes.
As you enter the State Russian Museum, the first sensation is the vast, cool air, a subtle draft hinting at grand, high ceilings. Your footsteps on the polished parquet floors create a soft, rhythmic *thump-thump*, joining a low, reverent murmur of hushed conversations and distant, echoing voices. Each new gallery subtly shifts the acoustic; some spaces feel more expansive, amplifying the faint rustle of passing clothing and the occasional gentle creak of ancient floorboards. The predominant scent is a dry, subtle perfume of old wood and aged canvas, a faint sweetness from beeswax polish mingling with the clean air. Occasionally, a fleeting waft of a visitor's perfume momentarily cuts through, quickly fading. Underfoot, the texture shifts from the smooth, cool expanse of marble in the grand entrances to the slightly warmer, yielding give of the wooden galleries. The rhythm of movement is slow, deliberate, a contemplative shuffle, inviting you to absorb the quiet grandeur permeating these historic halls. It's a profound, tangible sense of a bygone era.
Hope you can almost feel it too! Until next time, keep exploring.
The State Russian Museum features mostly smooth interior paving and wide main galleries for wheelchair navigation. While some older annexes may present minor thresholds, ramps facilitate most level changes. Peak crowd flow can create tight passages, particularly near popular exhibits. Staff are generally cooperative, offering assistance and guiding visitors to accessible routes.
Stepping into the State Russian Museum is like entering a grand, hushed secret of St. Petersburg. Locals often steer clear of the initial throng, heading straight for the quieter, upper galleries where the pre-revolutionary avant-garde or the earlier, less famous portraits reside. Here, the soft creak of the parquet floors underfoot becomes the dominant sound, a gentle rhythm accompanying your gaze. Notice how the light, filtered through tall, arched windows, falls differently across the canvases depending on the time of day – a subtle, almost theatrical illumination that brings unexpected life to a distant landscape or the folds of a gown. It's not just the masterpieces; it's the way a lone bench in a less-visited room invites a prolonged, intimate contemplation of a single, unassuming still life, allowing the faint scent of old wood and history to settle around you. From certain windows, particularly those overlooking the Mikhailovsky Garden, you catch glimpses of the changing seasons – a quiet green counterpoint to the gilded opulence within. This subtle interplay between cultivated nature and human artistry is a local's quiet pleasure, a reminder that even grand palaces have their moments of gentle introspection. The distant murmur of voices from the main halls fades here, replaced by a profound stillness that lets you hear the subtle brushstrokes of a painting, almost as if the artists themselves are still at work.
Find your own quiet corner and let the art speak to you.
Begin your visit on the first floor of Mikhailovsky Palace, starting with the ancient icons and 18th-century portraits. Skip the decorative arts galleries if time is limited; prioritize the painting collections. Save the monumental 19th-century canvases, like Bryullov's "The Last Day of Pompeii," for your grand finale. Notice the unique emotional depth in Repin's portraits, and find a quiet contemplative pause in the museum's garden.
Visit weekday mornings right at opening for fewer crowds; allow 2-3 hours for the main collections. Avoid Mondays when the museum is closed, and never touch any artwork. Restrooms are conveniently located on each floor, with a small café near the main entrance.