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State Russian Museum. Museums of St. Petersburg. Museums. St. Petersburg. Saint Petersburg. Sights of Moscow. Excursions to St. Petersburg museums.

SIGHTS ST. PETERSBURG

MUSEUMS OF ST. PETERSBURG

State Russian Museum

The former Mikhailovsky Palace, now the Russian Museum (Gosudarstvenny Russky muzey), houses one of the country's two finest collections of Russian art (the other is in Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery). If your time in the city is limited and you think only the Hermitage is a must-see, try your utmost to accommodate some time for this gem of a museum; your appreciation of Russian culture will be deepened by it.

The palace was designed by Carlo Rossi and built in 1819-29 for Grand Duke Mikhail, brother of Tsars Alexander I and Nicholas I, as a gift from his dad, Tsar Pavel 1 as compensation for not being able to have a chance on the throne. The museum was founded in 1895 under Alexander III, and opened three years later. The Benois building, now connected to the original palace and accessible through an entrance on naberezhnaya kanala Griboedova, was constructed in 1914-20.

The State Russian Museum has the biggest collection of Russian fine arts in the world. It was opened in Mikhailovsky Palace on 7th of March of 1898 on Nicholas II's order and became the first state museum of Russian art.

The unique collection of the Russian Museum counts about 400,000 exhibits, covers all historical periods and development tendencies of Russian art, all it schools, sorts and genres over a period of 1000 years, from 10th to 20th centuries.

Here it is possible to see works of all artists who compose the glory and pride of Russian art - Andrei Rublev, Dionisus, Shubin, Brullov, Aivazovsky, Repin, etc.

Today the State Russian Museum occupies four palaces, all of them are located in the historical center of St. Petersburg:

Mikhailovsky Palace (palace of the Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich, son of Pavel the First).
2, Inzhenernaya Street (ulitsa). Metro - Gostiny Dvor or Nevsky Prospakt.
Open Wednesday through Monday, from 10.00 am to 05.00 pm, until 04.00 pm on Monday.
Marble Palace (Palace of Grand Dukes Romanov). The palace was designed by A.Rinaldi and put up in 1768-1787. Coloured marble of 32 sorts is used in its decor. It is a fine sample of early Classical architecture. Main exhibitions: "Foreign Artista in Russia" (XIII - XIX centuries) & "Peter Ludvig Museum in the Russian Museum".
5/11 Millionnaya Street (Ulitsa). Metro - Gostinyy Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt.
Open Wednesday through Monday, from 10.00 am to 05.00 pm, until 04.00 pm on Monday. Closed on Tuesday.
Stroganov Palace (Stroganov family palace, oldest and richest family in Russia). It is a remarkable of Russian Baroque architecture in 1752-1754 (architect B.Rastrelli).
17, Nevsky Avenue. Metro - Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor
Temporary closed.
St. Michael's Castle or Inzhenerny Castle. Designed by V.Bazhenov the castle was constructed in 1797 - 1800 as the residence of Emperor Paul 1.
2, Sadovaya Street (Ulitsa). Metro - Gostinyy Dvor or Nevsky Prospekt
Open Wednesday through Monday, from 10.00 am to 05.00 pm, until 04.00 pm on Monday.
Closed on Tuesday.

Today the unique and comprehensive collection of the Russian Museum is an exceptional opportunity of an all-round, detailed study of the development of artistic ideas and culture in Russia over a period of nearly two and a half centuries.

In 1998 the State Russian Museum celebrates its century jubilee. There was series of exhibitions entitled World Museums and Galleries on the Occasion of the Russian Museum Centenary. Visitors will also be able to see the newly restored halls of its three new palaces. There is also a series of books devoted to the collections and history of the Russian Museum.