Museums in St Petersburg russia
Find Out the Best Museums in the city


Welcome to St Petersburg Essential Guide - Your Best Travel Guide to Russia

Looking for museums in St Petersburg Russia? If so check out our complete list of museums and learn more about each of them. Hopefully you'll find one that interest you most. 

Many museums in St Petersburg are worthy of your time and affordable. Some are very popular internationally and feature on tourist itineraries, while others are not so well-known but can still provide valuable insights into the history and culture of Russia.

Open all year round, each museum in Saint Petersburg displays a unique and varied collection of objects which reflect the history as well as the cultural and political situation of the city, and the whole country, in the past.

From the fabulous art galleries, cultural and historical museums, to science and technology museums, many of these museums will intrigue you and possibly make you shake your head, while others will just amaze you. Nevertheless, each of these interesting sites can surely immerse you in the fascinating and stormy history of Russia.

And if this isn't enough, you can also visit many others Russian museums devoted to the city's most prominent citizens, which include the great writers of Russian literature, revolutionary politicians or scientists, and other significant historical figures.

So with a rich, huge and diverse collection of artworks, paintings, photos, memorials, statues, art sculptures and much more, we are sure you will find the perfect museum to satisfy your thirst for knowledge when you arrive in the cultural capital of Russia.

list of THE BEST MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG russia


With more than 180 museums, we're sure that it won't be easy for you to decide what to see. So to help you, we have compeled a list of what we think are the most interesting and famous museums in St Petersburg worth seeing. Eventually we may also add a new list, but in the meantime we hope this list will help you decide which of them will make it to your sightseeing list.

To get started just click on the links below or scroll down the page.

ART AND ARCHITECTURE MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG


Best Museums in St PetersburgMuseums in St Petersburg

As the major cultural city in Russia, St Petersburg offers many fantastic museums and galleries that rival the finest in the world, such as the unmissable State Hermitage Museum and the Russian State Museum.

Almost all of the museums in St Petersburg display the finest collections of art, music, and literature of the past three centuries.

If you are a creative or culturally minded person then our list below might be a good choice for you to keep you busy for days or even weeks.

State Hermitage Museum


"A must visit, it isn't world famous for nothing"

Housed in the Winter Palace, the State Hermitage Museum is the most famous and superb art museum in the world. With over 3 million exhibits including some of the world's greatest works of art, here you can find anything from any time of history and from anywhere in the world. This is definitely one of the most remarkable and biggest museums in St Petersburg, the Russian national treasure of art.

 Details:

  • Address: 34, Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya / 2, Dvortsovaya Ploschad (Palace Square)
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Open: Daily 10:30 am to 6 pm. Last admission is at 5:30 pm. Wednesday, till 9:00 pm. Last admission is at 8:30 pm.
  • Closed: Monday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 571-3420; +7 (812) 710-9079
  • Website: www.hermitagemuseum.org
  • Admission: 600Rubles -> entry ticket to the Main Museum Complex and the branches (the General Staff Building, Winter Palace of Peter the Great, Menshikov Palace, the Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory); 300Rules -> entry ticket to one of the Hermitage branches (Winter Palace of Peter the Great, Menshikov Palace, the Museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, Staraya Derevnya Restoration and Storage Centre). Free admission to all visitors on the first Thursday of each month.
  • Photo & video: No flash. Audio-guides are available (deposit required)
  • Accessibility note: The museum is wheelchair accessible (ramps/lifts). Free wheelchair rentals. Please call in advance as staff assistance may be required.
  • Tips: People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here. And to avoid a long line at the ticket office you can buy tickets on-line.

State Russian Museum


"Most fabulous collection of Russian Art"

With more than 400,000 exhibits, ranging from 12th-century icons to 20th-century paintings, here at the so-called treasure-house of national art, housed in the splendid Mikhailovsky Palace, you can find the best Russian art from all periods of time. Surely, the State Russian Museum is the next best site to take in after the Hermitage Museum, as well as, the number one place for serious art lovers as this is one of the best museums in St Petersburg with huge collections of Russian art.

 Details:

  • Address: 4, Inzhenernaya Ulitsa / Ploshchad Iskusstv
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor
  • Open: Daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:30 pm. Thursday: 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Last admission is at 8:30 pm. Monday: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Last admission is at 7:00 pm.
  • Closed: Tuesdays
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 595-4248
  • Website: www.en.rusmuseum.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 450Rubles; Students: 200Rubles
  • Photo & video: 250Rubles
  • Accessibility note: The museum is wheelchair accessible (Ramps/lifts). Entrance with wheelchairs from the Embankment of Kanal Griboedova (Benois Wing). Free wheelchair rentals.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here.
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Museum of the Academy of Fine Arts


"Another great place for art lovers"

The Museum of the Academy of Arts is one of the oldest art museums in St Petersburg as well as in the whole of Russia. Unique in its genre, here you can find different collections of paintings, sculptures, mosaics, antique models, art replicas, and statues, all made in the 18th and 19th centuries. If you are keen on seeing the finest examples of world art, then this is a good place to go.

 Details:

  • Address: 17, Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya
  • Metro: Gostiny Dvor, then trolleybus 10 towards the beginning of Nevsky Prospekt
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Last admission is at 6:30 pm.
  • Closed: Monday and Tuesday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 323-6496
  • Website: www.eng.nimrah.ru
  • Admission: 500Rubles
  • Photo & video: 500Rubles - 1000Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Museum of City Sculpture


"A fair exhibition of interesting and unique sculptures"

Housed in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, inside the Necropolis, anyone here can see the burial sites of outstanding Russian figures, such as Piotr Tchaikovsky, Fiodor Dostoyevsky, Ivan Shishkin, Piotr Klodt, Georgiy Tovstonogov, and many others. Although the Museum of City Sculpture is a grim place, the sculptures and monuments are beautiful and the site itself is really worth a visit.

 Details:

  • Address: 2, Pereulok Chernoretskogo /  Near Nevsky Pr.
  • Metro: Ploschad Alexandra Nevskogo
  • Open: Monday to Wednesday, From 12:00 am to 7:00 pm - Thursday and Friday free entrance - Time vary according to the exhibition.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 274-2579; +7 (812) 274-3860; +7 (812) 274-2635; +7 (812) 274-2580
  • Website: www.gmgs.ru
  • Admission: 150Rubles; Children/students: 50Rubles
  • Accessibility note: No wheelchair access to this facility.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Museum of Non-Conformist Art


"A must for those interested in sculpture and non conformist art"

This interesting Russian art museum is one of the newest museums in St Petersburg. Opened in 1989 under the initiative of a number of Soviet artists in Saint Petersburg, the museum features the graphic work of Kazmir Malevich - The Black Square art - and other non-conformist great artwork collections from Russia, Europe, and the USA. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the development of modern art in Russia.

 Details:

  • Location: 10, Ulitsa Pushkinskaya (Entrance from 53, Ligovsky Prospekt)
  • Metro: Ploshchad Vosstaniya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 764-5371
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 3:00 am to 7:00 pm.
  • Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
  • Website: www.p-10.ru
  • Admission: Free
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art


"Great presentation of Russian contemporary art."

With over 2,800 works in its collection of contemporary art created by more than 300 artists from over 20 regions of Russia, this is Russia's largest private museum of contemporary Russian art and one of the best museums in St Petersburg to explore the culture of the city or of the country. Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art is a new, truly world-class, modern museum that many locals are proud of.

 Details:

  • Address: 2, 29th Line, Vasilyevsky Island
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Monday, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
  • Closed: Tuesdays
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 324-0809
  • Website: www.erarta.com
  • Admission: Adult: 600Rubles
  • Photo & video: Free/included
  • Accessibility note: There is no special equipment for wheelchair-bound visitors, but there are ramps and spacious elevators/lifts and halls are spacious with wide doors.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here.
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St. Petersburg Museum of Dolls


"Every child's fantasy place"

Central located, the Museum of Dolls is an old fashioned museum that displays a wide collection of hand-made dolls. We've been here once and were amazed by the number of beautifully designed dolls. Although it is a fun place for kids, it probably won't be the best experience in the city, but it is still worth a visit if you are with kids.

 Details:

  • Location: 8, Ulitsa Kamskaya
  • Metro: Primorskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 327-7223; +7 (812) 327-7274
  • Open: Daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Website: www.museumdolls.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 150Rubles; Students/children: 70Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Museum of the History of Photography


"A cool place for photographers"

Founded in 2003, the museum of the History of Photography is not yet well known, but it has the potential to become one of the world's best museums for photography. Inside you can find a vast and diverse collection of photos taken by leading photographers from around the world, as well as a wide range of antique cameras and developing equipment. If you love photography, it is worth a look.

 Details:

  • Location: 23, Ulitsa Professora Popova
  • Metro: Petrogradskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 346-1850
  • Open: Daily from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
  • Closed: Sundays and Mondays. Closed in July and August.
  • Website: www.photohismus.spb.ru
  • Admission: Free
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Museum of Applied Arts


"Like a treasure cave"

Housed in the gorgeous School of Art and Design named after Baron A.L. Stieglitz, this museum has over 1800 exhibits. This place includes the city's only collection of furniture from the second half of the 19th century as well as ceramics, porcelain, metalwork and much more. Ceilings are painted by students from the Academy, and it is clear that they are the cream of the crop. Surely a good side tour to complement the Russian Museum and the outstanding Hermitage State Museum.

 Details:

  • Location: 13-15, Solyanoy Pereulok
  • Metro: Chernyshevskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 273-3258
  • Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00 am to 4:30 pm. Last admission is at 4:00 pm.
  • Closed: Sundays, Mondays and the last Friday of each month.
  • Website: www.stieglitzmuseum.ru
  • Admission: 60Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles - 200Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible (stairs).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here.

The Porcelain Museum at the St. Petersburg's Lomonosov Imperial Porcelain Factory


"For porcelain lovers only"

The Imperial Porcelain Manufacturer, founded in 1744 under the decree of the empress Elizabeth, was the first porcelain company in Russia. Today, the museum at this Factory is a branch of the Hermitage museum and displays the history of Russian porcelain making from the mid-18th century to the present day. Named after the father of Russian porcelain, Mikhail Lomonosov, this is one of the most fashionable museums in St Petersburg to see; especially if you like antique porcelain and want to buy really beautiful porcelain for yourself or as souvenirs for your friends.

 Details:

  • Address: 151, Prospekt Obukhovskoi Oborony
  • Metro: Lomonosovskaya
  • Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30 am to 6 pm. Last admission at 5:00 pm. Sundays, 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. Last admission at 4:00 pm.
  •  Closed: Monday
  • Website: Not available
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 326-2672; for factory tours: +7 (812) 326-5378.
  • Admission: 300Rubles; Children/students: free.
  • Accessibility note: This museum is not wheelchair accessible. Some access for visitors with limited mobility: there is an elevator/lift, but stairs at the very entrance.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.
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HISTORY MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG


Best Museums in St PetersburgMuseums in St Petersburg

With over 300 years of history very well preserved and documented in a number of extremely interesting museums, the city of St Petersburg has a huge historical heritage that very few cities in the world can compete with.

If you want to learn about the foundation of the imperial city, the vital role the city has played in the past or you would like to learn about the millions of Russians who sadly died during WWII, then we suggest planning a visit to one or more of the museums in St Petersburg listed below. 

Peter and Paul Fortress


"On the outside, ordinary. On the inside, extraordinary"

The Peter and Paul Fortress is the first must-see historical place for all visitors to Saint Petersburg. Inside you will find not only a great architectural complex, including the small Peter and Paul Cathedral but also a number of museums, such as the headquarters of the St Petersburg City History Museum, the History of the Peter and Paul Fortress and many others. This place houses the tombs of many historical figures of Russia, including Peter the Great, Alexander II and Nicholas II. Every ornament is gold-plated and very baroque-style elaborate.

 Details:

  • Address: Zayachy (Hare) Island
  • Metro: Gorkovskaya, Sportivnaya
  • Open: The grounds of the fortress at open 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. All exhibitions are open daily, except Wednesdays, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:00 pm. Tuesdays, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last admission is at 4:00 pm.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 230-6431
  • Website: www.spbmuseum.ru/themuseum/museum_complex/peterpaul_fortress/
  • Admission: Combined ticket to all major attractions (Peter & Paul Cathedral and Grand-Ducal Burial Vault ): 350Rubles.
  • Photo & video: free/included
  • Accessibility note: The Cathedral and the grounds are wheelchair accessible. Other exhibits are not wheelchair accessible (stairs, curbs, cobblestone pavements).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Museum of the Political History of Russia


"A must see for history buffs"

The Political History Museum includes more than 400,000 exhibits, from the Russian civil war to the Soviet-era up to now. Divided into two buildings, one of which was owned by a brilliant ballet dancer, Mathilda-Marie Kschessinskaya, and the other which was built for a famous timber merchant Baron Brandt, this is one of the most interesting and fascinating museums in St Petersburg housing a unique and vast collection of diverse Russian history. Definitely a great place to start to learn more about the history of Russia!

 Details:

  • Location: 2-4, Ulitsa Kuybysheva
  • Metro: Gorkovskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 233-7052
  • Open: Daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Last admission is at 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Thursdays and on the last Monday of each month.
  • Website: www.polithistory.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 200Rubles; Students/children: 100Rubles; Audio-guide: 100Rubles.
  • Photo & video: Photo free. Video not allowed.
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible (no elevator/lift, many stairs).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here.

Cruiser Aurora


"A piece of history worth visiting"

The Cruiser Aurora, which battled the Japanese Navy in the Russian-Japanese War, is now a museum ship moored in Petrograd Side. It played a key role in the start of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Basically, with one shot it ruined Russia for 75 years, so this is a very good piece of history to see! It's a sizeable ship and certainly looks impressive in its mooring. The Aurora is now maintained by cadets from the nearby Nakhimov Navy School.

 Details:

  • Location: Off Petrovskaya Naberezhnaya, opposite the Nakhimov Navy School
  • Metro:  Gorkovskaya
  • Open: Daily 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Closed: Monday and Friday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 230-8440, 303-8513
  • Website: www.aurora.org.ru/eng/index.php
  • Admission: 600Rubles; Students: 400Rubles.
  • Photo and video: Photo: 100Rubles; Video: 200Rubles.
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad


"Fascinating - but grim"

If you want to get a real feel for what the Russian citizens endured during the Siege of Leningrad in WWII, then you should see this sorrowful but interesting museum. The museum concentrates on the efforts to defend the city, on the Ladoga road, rations, casualties and the cultural life which was maintained through much of the period. Inside you will find some confiscated Nazi tanks and aircraft along with 37,000 other exhibits. Without any doubt, this is one of the best museums in St Petersburg devoted to the history of the Leningrad fight during World War II.

 Details:

  • Location: 9, Solyanoy Pereulok
  • Metro: Chernyshevskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 275-7208
  • Open: Thursday to Monday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last admission is at 4:00 pm. Tuesday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
  • Closed: Wednesdays and the last Thursday of each month.
  • Website: www.blokadamus.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 200Rubles; Schoolchildren: 100Rubles.
  • Accessibility note: Limited access for wheelchair-bound and limited mobility visitors. Please call in well advance as staff entrance will be required to use elevator/lift.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.
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Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad


"A moving memorial museum worth your time"

This majestic Memorial Hall, faced with granite and marble, was dedicated to the citizens and soldiers of Leningrad who lost their lives defending the city of Petersburg from Nazi attack during WWII. This is one of the most moving museums in St Petersburg as well as the most respected place in the city. The small museum inside the complex displays a dozen glass cases showing aspects of the siege, including examples of how small the food ration portions were. You'll learn the people made soup out of leather belts just to stay alive, and much more. Very moving and thoughts provoking.

 Details:

  • Where: Ploschad Pobedy (Victory Square)
  • Metro: Moskovskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 371-2951
  • Open: Thursday to Monday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Tuesday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Closed: Wednesday and the last Tuesday of each month
  • Website: www.spbmuseum.ru
  • Admission: 100Rubles; Children/students: 60Rubles. Free admission on Memorial days: Jan 25, Feb 23, May 9th.
  • Accessibility note: Some wheelchair access is available. There is a wheelchair lift but appointments should be made one week in advance.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

 Rumyantsev's Mansion Museum


"One of the best museums in St Petersburg off the beaten track"

This is another museum to see about the Siege of Leningrad and the city's war during WWII. Passing from one hall to another, you will learn about different aspects of the Siege and follow the timeline from the start to the end. It is surprisingly quiet and not crowded place even in the high tourist season and it preserves beautiful interiors, including amazing film footage and photographs which really capture what those years must have been like.

 Details:

  • Location: 44, Angliyskaya Naberezhnaya
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 571-7544 (to arrange English-language tours)
  • Open: Thursday to Monday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tuesday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Wednesdays
  • Website: www.spbmuseum.ru/themuseum/museum_complex/rumyantsev_mansion/
  • Admission: Adult: 200Rubles; Students/children: 100Rubles
  • Photo & video: free/included
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery


"A somber and vivid reminder of Russia's terrible suffering in WW II."

To truly understand the scale of the tragedy that St. Petersburg lived through during the 900-day Siege of Leningrad, you should visit the Piskarevskoye Memorial Cemetery. Here you can walk through half a million gravesites in the middle of a vast green open space. A small museum at the entrance to the cemetery will tell you the truth about the tragedy experienced by the people of Leningrad.

 Details:

  • Address: 72, Prospekt Nepokorionnykh
  • Metro: Ploshchad Muzhestva or Akademicheskaya
  • Directions: From Ploshchad Muzhestva Metro Station, take buses N. 123, 138 or 80 east along Prospekt Nepokorrenikh. From Akademicheskaya, take buses N. 78 or 61.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 297-5716
  • Open: Monday to Sunday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (cemetery to 9:00 pm in summer).
  • Website: www.pmemorial.ru
  • Admission: Free
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Alexander Suvorov Memorial Museum


"The museum of the great Russian commander"

The Alexander Suvorov Museum displays an interesting collection of military memorabilia depicting the life of one of the most respected generals of Russia, Alexander Suvorov, who led troops to a victory during the Crimean War. The museum is situated in a nice purpose-built building designed in the Russian Revival style. If you are interested in military art, you should schedule a visit to the museum of the author of the manual "The Science of Victory".

 Details:

  • Address: 43, Kirochnaya Ulitsa
  • Metro: Chernyshevskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 579-3914
  • Open: Daily, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:00 pm. Wednesday 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Last admission is at 8:00 pm.
  • Closed: Monday
  • Website: www.suvorovmuseum.spb.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 400Rubles; Children: 50Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Full wheelchair access is available.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.
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The Pushkin House Literature Museum


"An interesting museum to commemorate Russia's major writer"

This museum, dedicated to Russia's most celebrated poet Alexander Pushkin, is the oldest and one of the largest literature museums in St Petersburg and in the whole country. Aside from Pushkin's things, you will find a rich collection of art and documentary materials relating to the history of Russian literature and portraits of Russian writers from the 18th-20th centuries. This is a really cool place to go if you're a lover of Russian literature or a fan of Alexander Pushkin.

 Details:

  • Address: 12, Naberezhnaya Reki Moyki
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvoror Admiralteyskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 311-3531or +7 (812) 314-0006
  • Open: Wednesday to Monday, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission at 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Tuesday and the last Friday of each month
  • Website: www.museumpushkin.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 200Rubles; Children: 100Rubles.
  • Photo & video: Photo: 200Rubles; Video: 200Rubles; Audio-guide is available (in Russian, English, French, German and Italian).
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Museum of the History of Religion


"A modern and inspiring museum"

Featuring an extensive permanent exhibition about the origin and development of religion in the world, the Museum of the History of Religion is one of the world's few religious museums and the only one of its kind in Russia. Here you'll learn about archaic beliefs, the religion of Egypt, Greece, Rome, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and much more. If you are keen on the history of people's beliefs, all the way from Animism, Totemism, and Shamanism to the mainstream religions like the Abrahamic religions and Christianity or Islam, then this is one of the must-see museums in St Petersburg for you.

 Details:

  • Location: 14, Pochtamtskaya Ulitsa
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 571-0495
  • Open: Daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (ticket office until 5:00 pm). Thursday from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
  • Closed: Wednesdays
  • Website: www.gmir.ru/eng/
  • Admission: Adult: 400Rubles; Students: 200Rubles; Students ISIC: 100Rubles. Audio-guide: 100Rubles. Free admission to all visitors on the first Monday of each month.
  • Accessibility note: This museum is wheelchair accessible, with ramps and wide doors. Staff assistance may be required.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Museum of Political Investigation


"A touch of the James Bond in St Petersburg"

Now part of the excellent Museum of Political History, this small Russian museum displays a rare collection of documents, uniforms and other exhibits about the history of the political police in the Russian Empire and Soviet republic from 1826 to 1926. Housed in a former tsarist police administrative office this is the only site in Russia where you can see the rare historical exhibits from VCHK, the KGB and other special police agencies. If you're interested in Russia's police history this is the place to go.

 Details:
  • Address: 2, Gorokhovaya Ulitsa
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Open: Monday to Friday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Saturdays and Sundays.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 312-2742
  • Website: www.en.polithistory.ru/
  • Admission: Adults: 150Rubles; Students: 60Rubles; Children: 40Rubles.
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Russian Vodka Museum


"Fun place to visit, and experience real Russian vodka"

The museum and the restaurant both situated next to each other under the same roof are interesting places to see where you can get a quick education on different types of Russian vodka and its history while drinking some. With a massive collection of vodka bottles, delicious Russian food, this could be a great place both for sightseeing and eating out. This is one of the best museums in St Petersburg for a real vodka tasting and to learn more about the history of the Russian vodka.

 Details:

  • Address: 4, Konnogvardeisky Boulevard
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Open: Daily, 11:00 am to 10:00 pm.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 312-9178
  • Website: www.vodkamuseum.su
  • Admission: Tour with vodka tasting (duration 30 min) in English or Russian – 500Rubles Tour (duration 30 min) – 350Rubles. Vodka tasting: 350Rubles. Individual ticket without tour: 170Rubles
  • Photo & video: free/included
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.
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LITERARY MEMORIAL MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG


Best Museums in St PetersburgMuseums in St Petersburg

Saint Petersburg’s stunning architecture, history, ballet, opera, and museums are not the only things drawing visitors to this popular tourist city.

The city of Peter the Great also attracts many literature fans every year thanks to the vast Russian literature legacy left by the many Russian novelists, writers, and poets.

So if you love the masterpieces of Pushkin, Dostoyevsky or Nabokov, just to name a few, then you should visit one of the museums in St Petersburg listed below.

Pushkin Apartment Museum


“Dedicated to Russia's most loved poet”

This is the flat where one of the greatest and most loved Russian poets lived and died. If you want to see an interesting private collection of Alexander Pushkin, then visit this place as it will tell you about his life and his works. Here, you'll definitely understand why Russians say "Pushkin is our everything".

 Details:

  • Address: 12, Naberezhnaya Reki Moyki
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor or Admiralteyskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Monday, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission at 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Tuesday and the last Friday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 311-3531; +7 (812) 314-0006
  • Website: www.museumpushkin.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 200Rubles; Children: 100Rubles
  • Photo & video: Photo: 200Rubles; Video: 200Rubles. Audio-guide is available (in Russian, English, French, German and Italian).
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.

Dostoyevsky Literary Memorial Museum


"A must-see sight for lovers of Dostoyevsky's novels"

This museum is really worth visiting if you want to dive deeply into the atmosphere of the golden era of Russian literature and get to know more about the famous Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. Attracting large numbers of Russian and foreign visitors every year the Dostoyevsky museum is considered one of the most famous literature museums in St Petersburg.

Details:

  • Address: 5/2, Kuznechny Pereulok
  • Metro: Vladimirskaya, Dostoyevskaya
  • Open: Daily from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:30 pm. Wednesday from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Last admission is at 7:30 pm.
  • Closed: Monday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 571-4031
  • Website: www.md.spb.ru/
  • Admission: Adults: 200Rubles; Children: 100Rubles
  • Photo & video: Free
  • Accessibility note: Not suitable for wheelchair-bound and motion-impaired visitors (no elevator/lift).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.
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Anna Akhmatova Museum


"A window in the life of Anna Akhmatova and history of St. Petersburg"

This ordinary Russian apartment, located on the wing of the Sheremetyev Palace, is entirely dedicated to the life of the Russian poetess Anna Akhmatova. Once inside, you will be navigated through the most important and crucial milestones in her life and will really feel the atmosphere of that time. With its own atmosphere, this little museum opens a window to get a sense of Akhmatova's life and St. Petersburg in the first part of the 20th century. Although a bit off the beaten path, it is really worth a look.

 Details:

  • Address: 53, Liteiny Prospekt
  • Metro: Vladimirskaya or Dostoevskaya or Mayakovskaya
  • Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 10:30 am to 6:30 pm. Last admission is at 5:30 pm. Wednesdays, 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Last admission is at 8:00 pm.
  • Closed: Mondays
  • Telephone: not available
  • Website: www.akhmatova.spb.ru
  • Admission: 200Rubles; Audio-guide (in Russian, English, French, German, Italian and Finnish): 100Rubles.
  • Photo & video: Free - 500Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Elevator is available. Please call in advance as staff assistance may be required.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.

Nabokov House


"A must stop for Nabokov fans"

The Nabokov House museum, devoted to the famous Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov, is a nice window into Nabokov's life, including his books, his butterfly collection and his drawings of butterflies. This is another interesting place to visit with a humble collection of varied objects, especially if you are a fan of his works. Most importantly it is right downtown near other tourist sites so if you have a spare hour you can drop in for a crowd-free respite.

 Details:

  • Address: 47, Ulitsa Bolshaya Morskaya
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Open: Tuesday to Friday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 to 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Monday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 315-4713
  • Website: www.nabokov.museums.spbu.ru/
  • Admission: Free
  • Photo & video: Not Allowed
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here.

Alexander Block Apartment Museum


"The shadows of the past"

This 18th-century apartment was turned into a museum dedicated to the symbolist poet Alexander Blok. Once inside you can find a private collection that will introduce you to the work and life of the poet of the Silver Age of Russian literature. This is another fascinating museum and a typical soviet flat which reveals the history of the era, personally one of our favorite museums in St Petersburg. Worth a visit if you love blocks and can speak or read a little Russian.

 Details:

  • Address: 57, Ulitsa Dekabristov
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya or Nevsky Prospekt or Sennaya Ploshchad or Sadovaya or Spasskaya (then by marshrutka minibus No. 1)
  • Open: Daily from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm (to 5:00 pm on Tuesdays). Ticket office closes one hour before the museum.
  • Closed: Wednesdays
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 713-8631 or +7 (812) 713-8616
  • Website: www.spbmuseum.ru/themuseum/museum_complex/blok_museum/
  • Admission: Adult: 120Rubles; Students: 60Rubles
  • Photo & video: Not Allowed
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Zoshchenko Literary Memorial Museum


“Another great stop, but only for Zoshchenko fans”

This small old flat of Mikhail Zoshchenko, one of the most iconic figures in Soviet satire, was turned into a museum in 1992. Zoshchenko’s works made him one of the most widely appreciated writers in modern Russian literature. Today, many Russians come here to see his funny works, but not many foreigners. Worth visiting only if you know the character or want to see something off the beaten track.

 Details:

  • Address: 4/2, Malay Konyushennaya Ulitsa (Apartment 119)
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor
  • Open: Daily from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm. Last admission is at 6:00 pm
  • Closed: Mondays and the last Wednesday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 571-7819
  • Website: www.litmuseum.spb.ru
  • Admission: Adults: 160Rubles; Children: 80Rubles
  • Photo & video: 70Rubles - 100Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Not suitable for wheelchair-bound and motion-impaired visitors (no elevator/lift).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.
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OTHER MEMORIAL MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG


Best Museums in St PetersburgMuseums in St Petersburg

Many writers, revolutionary politicians, scientists, and other important figures have lived and worked in Saint Petersburg in the past three centuries.

Those people with their talent, intellect, creativity and dedicated labour have made the Northern Capital of Russia the cultural and vibrant city of today, now famous all over the world and admired by millions of people.

Several museums have been built in St. Petersburg to remember them. If you're interested in museums in St Petersburg of this type, please see our list below.

Log Cabin of Peter I


"Where it all started"

The Log Cabin, situated in the Petrograd Side, was the first homestead in Saint Petersburg. Peter the Great built this simple house himself and lived here for six months whilst the town was being designed. This interesting, small building made of wood is a remarkable piece of history erected inside the famous summer garden. Unless you can read Russian, you might be better off taking a guided tour as most of the signs are in the Russian language.

 Details:

  • Address: 6, Petrovskaya Naberezhnaya
  • Metro: Gorkovskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:00 pm. Mondays, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last admission is at 4:00 pm.
  • Closed: Tuesdays and the last Monday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 232-4576
  • Website: Not available
  • Admission: 300Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

* Details are approximate for this site.

Lomonosov Museum "The Kunstkammer"


"An interesting place to see, worth visiting if you're familiar with the scientist's work"

Lomonosov Museum, located within the Kunstkammer on Vasilievskiy Island, is a memorial museum dedicated to the scientist, poet, and forward thinker Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov. Inside the museum, you can see a display of Lomonosov's personal belongings and his literary and scientific works, which are all housed in a room which was once the laboratory of this outstanding scholar and natural scientist. This is one of the best museums in St Petersburg, and the only museum in Russia, where you can learn the history of Russian science in the 18th century.

 Details:

  • Address: 3, Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Admiralteyskaya or Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Daily from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Last admission is at 6:00 pm.
  • Closed: Mondays and the last Tuesday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 328-1412; +7 (812) 328-0812
  • Website: www.kunstkamera.ru/en/
  • Admission: Adult: 250Rubles; Students/children: 50Rubles. Admission is free on the third Friday of each month.
  • Photo & video: Free
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Mendeleev Apartment Museum

"Dusty and dark, but authentic and fascinating place to see"


This apartment museum is in memory of the life and activities of Dmitriy Mendeleev, a scientist, and professor who devised the famous Table of Elements. Inside the apartment, where he lived from 1866 to 1890, you will find an interesting collection of manuscripts, letters, working drafts, diaries, and notebooks that expose the life and scientific work of Mendeleev in Saint Petersburg. If you go hire a private guide for a better experience.

 Details:

  • Address: 7/9, Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya (2, Mendeleevskaya Liniya)
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Open: Monday - Thursday from 11:00 am to 16:00 pm. Must call in advance to organize.
  • Closed: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 328-9744
  • Website: www.eng.spbu.ru/university/culture/museums/mendeleev
  • Admission: Free
  • Photo & video: Free
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Academician I. Pavlov Memorial Apartment Museum


"A museum of amazing genuineness"

This is another historical soviet apartment now turned into a museum dedicated to the life of the great physiologist Ivan Pavlov, famous for the development of the "conditioned reflex" concept. This place, where Pavlov lived for 18 years, represents an authentic example of the lifestyle of the Russian intelligentsia of that time. Somethings of particular interest here are rare books, paintings and unique collections of insects composed by Ivan Pavlov himself.

Details:

  • Address: 2, 7th Line, Vasilyevsky Island, apt. 11
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Monday to Friday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Visit only with organized group or by prior arrangement.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 323-7234
  • Website: www.museum.infran.ru
  • Admission: Free
  • Photo & video: Free/Included
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Rimsky-Korskov Memorial Apartment Museum


"Immerse yourself in the world of Russian music"

This memorial apartment museum, dedicated to the famous Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, is the only composer’s museum in St Petersburg, Russia. This small apartment, where Rimsky lived for fifteen years, will give you a glimpse into his daily life and his surroundings. Inside you'll find his study, the dining room, the sitting room, and a concert hall. The rooms display the composer's personal belongings and numerous family relics. If you are a fan of Russian classical music, don't miss this place.

 Details:

  • Address: 28, Zagorodny Prospekt
  • Metro: Vladmirskaya or Dostoyevskaya or Zvenigorodskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, and the last Friday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 713-3208; +7 (812) 315-3875
  • Website: www.theatremuseum.ru/memorialnyy_muzey_kvartira_rimskogo_korsakova
  • Admission: Adults: 100Rubles; Children: 20Rubles; Audio guide: 100Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles - 200Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.
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Feodor Chaliapin Memorial Apartment


"Far north of the city center, but worth it"

This branch of the Museum of Theater and Music is one of the best memorial museums in St Petersburg and in the whole country dedicated to the life and work of the great opera singer Fiodor Chaliapin. Inside this impressive and intimate apartment, you will see interesting exhibition rooms in which photos, theater billings, programs, and documents reveal the singer's life. The works exhibited are of considerable artistic as well as historical interest, so if you know anything about Russian music or musicians, this will fascinate you.

 Details:

  • Address: 26, Ulitsa Graftio
  • Metro: Petrogradskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm
  • Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, and the last Friday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 234-1056
  • Website: www.theatremuseum.ru/filial/dom_muzey_shalyapina
  • Admission: Adults: 100Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles - 200Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Not suitable for wheelchair-bound and motion-impaired visitors (no elevator/lift).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Sergei Kirov Museum


"A glimpse into how the top brass lived during the Soviet Union"

If you dream to see with your own eyes how a communist leader lived then you really must plan a visit to the Sergey Kirov House, now one of the most popular apartment museums in St Petersburg. Stacked with books, working papers and personal belongings, this soviet flat, in which Stalin was a guest and Kirov lived and died, takes you way back to the 1920s and 30s. This is a very fascinating memorial apartment, where everything is there as it would have been.

 Details:

  • Address: 26-28, Kamenoostrovsky Prospekt
  • Metro: Gorkovskaya or Petrogradskaya
  • Open: Daily from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm (ticket office until 5.30 pm)
  • Closed: Wednesdays
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 346-0217; +7 (812) 346-0289
  • Website: www.spbmuseum.ru/themuseum/museum_complex/kirov_museum/
  • Admission: 150Rubles; Students/children: 100Rubles
  • Photo & video: Free/Included
  • Accessibility note: Elevator/lift is available. Please call in advance as staff assistance may be required.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here

MUSICAL AND THEATRICAL MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG


Best Museums in St PetersburgMuseums in St Petersburg

Since the city's foundation, St Petersburg's cultural life has always been influenced by classical music, ballet, opera, and Russian folk music.

If you are a lover of classical music and theater from the 19th and 20th centuries or you just want to know more about it, then you should plan a visit to one of the two museums in St Petersburg listed below.

If you go, check to see if they have evening events or concerts planned, as you can see more of the buildings at night.

Museum of Theater and Music


"The main building of St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music"

This unique and informative museum is located in the building of the former directorate of the imperial theaters, built by the famous architect Carlo Rossi. Considered one of the biggest theatrical museums in St Petersburg and in the world, the Museum of Theater and Music can display only a fraction of its enormous collection in the three halls currently open. If you are a lover of theater and music this is a wonderful place to visit.

 Details:

  • Address: 6, Ploshchad Ostrovskogo
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor
  • Open: Daily from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm (from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Wednesdays)
  • Closed: Tuesdays and the last Friday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 571-2195; +7 (812) 315-5243
  • Website: www.theatremuseum.ru
  • Admission: Adults: 150Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles - 200Rubles
  • Accessibility note: No wheelchair access to this museum.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2.5 hours here.

Museum of Musical Instruments


"One of the best musical museums in St Petersburg"

Known as one of the world’s largest museums of its kind, the Museum of Musical Instruments is a fun opportunity to discover inventive ways Russians and others have made music over the centuries. Housed in the Sheremetev Palace, where the Sheremetev family lived before the Bolshevik Revolution, here you can find an interesting and extensive collection of musical instruments from all over the world. Music lovers will definitely enjoy a visit here. So if you are one of them, give it a try!

 Details:

  • Address: 34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor
  • Open: Daily 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Last admission is at 6:00 pm.
  • Closed: Tuesdays and the last Wednesday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 272-4441
  • Website: www.theatremuseum.ru/filial/sheremetevskiy_dvorec_muzey_muzyki
  • Admission: 250Rubles; Audio-guide: 100Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles - 200Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Limited access for wheelchair
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.
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SCIENCE MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG


Best Museums in St PetersburgMuseums in St Petersburg

The city of Petersburg is not only Russia's cultural capital, but it is also a major industrial and scientific center with some of the finest universities and research institutes in the country.

Starting with the Kunstkammer, the first science museum in the city, you can now find a lot of museums in St Petersburg dedicated to a wide range of scientific disciplines.

If you are keen on all fields of science, then the following museums in St Petersburg listed below are worth checking out.

Kunstkammer – Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography


"One of the weirdest museums in St Petersburg"

Officially known as the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, this was the first museum in Russia to be built. Here, you can find great anthropological and archaeological collections as well as a weird but interesting collection started by Peter the Great and then expanded by past scientists. It offers a truly global view of the world and its cultures through clothes and artifacts. If you are a fan of anthropology and want to see the symbol of the Russian Academy of Sciences, this place is a must-visit for families though it can be a bit odd.

 Details:

  • Address: 3, Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Admiralteyskaya or Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, Last admission is at 6:00 pm
  • Closed: Mondays and the last Tuesday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 328-1412; +7 (812) 328-0812
  • Website: www.kunstkamera.ru/en/
  • Admission: Adult: 250Rubles; Students/children: 50Rubles; Admission is free on the third Friday of each month.
  • Photo & video: Free
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.

Russian Ethnographic Museum


“One of the most cool museums in St Petersburg”

The Ethnographic Museum is a great museum not to miss. Known as the museum of the peoples of Russia, it is situated next to the famous Russian Museum on the Square of Arts. It houses a wide and unique collection of exhibits detailing the customs, clothes, and ethnicity of the hundreds of distinct cultures of the people who made up the regions of the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and  the current Russian Federation. Definitely one of the finest museums in St Petersburg to get a wide glimpse of Russian culture, often empty as guide books does not promote it.

 Details:

  • Address: 4/1, Inzhenernaya Ulitsa
  • Metro: Nevsky Prospekt or Gostiny Dvor
  • Open: Tuesday, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. Last admission is at 8:00 pm. Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Monday and the last Friday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 570-5662
  • Website: www.eng.ethnomuseum.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 250Rubles; Student: 150Rubles; Children: 50Rubles
  • Photo & video: 150Rubles - 350Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Wheelchair access is available. Elevators at the entrance and within the museum. Please call in advance as staff assistance may be required.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.
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Zoological Museum


"One of the best museums in St Petersburg for families with kids"

The Zoological Museum is a great outing for the entire family that's located near the Spit of Vasilievskiy Island. With nearly 30,000 specimens of animals from all over the world on display and a total of 17 million species in their collection, this unique museum can be overwhelming. Considered the largest zoological museum in Russia, this place is a must-see for anyone, especially for those who love animals. If you go there, don't miss the famous "Baby Dima", the world's only stuffed mammoth.

 Details:

  • Address: 1, Universitetskaya Nabereshnaya
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya, Admiralteyskaya, Sportivnaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Monday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 4:50 pm
  • Closed: Tuesday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 328-0112
  • Website: www.zin.ru/museum/index.html
  • Admission: Adult: 200.00Rubles; Students/children: 70Rubles; Free admission last Thursday of each month (excluding periods of high school holidays).
  • Photo & video: Not allowed
  • Accessibility note: Limited wheelchair access only (ramps).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic


"A little gem in a most unusual location"

The Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic is one of the biggest museums in St Petersburg and in the world presenting the history of the exploration of the planet’s coldest zones and their natural features. The museum displays a collection of 75,000 artifacts and a series of beautiful paintings of snowy landscapes, seascapes, and scenes of expedition sites and native wildlife. The interesting thing is that the museum is located in the oldest neoclassical Church of St. Nicholas.

 Details:

  • Address: 24a, Ulitsa Marata
  • Metro: Vladimirskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:30 pm. Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last admission is at 4:30 pm.
  • Closed: Monday, Tuesday and the last Friday of the month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 571-2549
  • Website: www.polarmuseum.ru/index_eng.html
  • Admission: Adult: 280Rubles; Children: 70.00Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Limited access for wheelchair-bound visitors: only the 1st floor (Arctic). Cloakroom and bathrooms are not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Central Research Museum of Geological Prospecting


"One of the best museums in St Petersburg for Geology lovers"

Named after Academic Feodosiy Chernyshev, the Central Research Museum of Geological Prospecting is considered one of the world’s largest natural science museums. Once inside you will be introduced to over one million specimens of earth material, minerals, and petrifaction. This is an interesting geological museum, but maybe boring if you do not like the subject.

 Details:

  • Address: 74, Ulitsa Sredny
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Sunday
  • Telephone: (812) 312-5399
  • Website: Not available
  • Admission: Free
  • Photo & video: Free/Included
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Mining Museum of the State Mining Institute


"An impressive museum housed in a stunning palace"

Founded in 1773 within the St. Petersburg State Mining University with the purpose of training engineers and geologists to expand the mining of precious metals and minerals, the Mining Museum displays a unique collection of over 230,000 mineral samples. Housed inside an amazing neoclassical building in the style of a Greek temple, the museum is worth visiting only if you like this kind of subject.

 Details:

  • Address: 2, 21st Line, Vasilyevsky Island
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Monday to Friday, 9: am to 5:15 pm. Friday, 9:00 am to 4:15 pm. Saturdays - only Russian-language tours for individual visitors at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Visit by prior appointment only.
  • Closed: Sunday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 328-8429
  • Website: www.en.spmi.ru/node/18
  • Admission: Free
  • Photo & video: Free/Included
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Central Museum of Soil Science


"One of the best museums in St Petersburg showing all of the soils of the world"

Dedicated to the famous naturalist and soil scientist Vasily Dokuchayev, the Central Museum of Soil Science offers an interesting collection of soils developed exactly by Dokuchayev, an internationally acclaimed soil scientist. There are over 2,000 exhibits on display, and a third of them come in the form of monoliths - sections of soil structure intact. Also in the museum, you can see dioramas, paintings, plant samples. Definitely an interesting museum for kids and not only, where anyone can get a grasp about soil science and related disciplines.

Details:

  • Address: 6, Birzhevoy Proezd
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya, Admiralteyskaya, Sportivnaya
  • Open: Monday to Friday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Saturdays and Sundays
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 328-5402
  • Website: www.soil-museum.ru/
  • Admission: Admission for individual visitors on Tuesdays only. All other days organized groups and tours by prior arrangement. Price not available!
  • Photo & video: free/included
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.
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TECHNOLOGY MUSEUMS IN ST PETERSBURG


Best Museums in St PetersburgMuseums in St Petersburg

Along with different scientific museums, the city of St Petersburg offers many technology museums that reflect the power of Russia and its industrial and technological developments.

Technology and engineering have always played a key role in Russia.

So if you want to get a glimpse into the great discoveries of the past, as well as of today, then make sure you plan a visit to some of the technology museums in St Petersburg listed below.

Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Communications


"A great military museum with a lot to see"

This Russian army museum is the largest of its type in the world, a spend-the-whole-day sort of place for any military history buff. It has two floors in a massive space plus a large front yard in front that is used for the display of field artillery and rocket launchers. Inside you can find a huge collection of artillery, engineering, and communication as well as a range of medieval weaponry and of World War II. This is one of the best museums in St Petersburg for any military history buff and Red Army lovers.

 Details:

  • Address: 7, Aleksandrovsky Park
  • Metro: Gorkovskaya, Sportivnaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, last admission is at 5:00 pm
  • Closed: Monday, Tuesday as well as the last Thursday of each month.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 232-0296
  • Website: www.artillery-museum.ru/
  • Admission: Adult: 400Rubles; Student: 250Rubles
  • Photo & video: 150Rubles; Video: 150Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Wheelchair access is available to main collections on the 1st and 2nd floors. Third floor is not accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Central Naval Museum


"One of the most engaging and intriguing museums in St Petersburg"

The Central Naval Museum is one of the earliest museums in St Petersburg and one of the largest naval museums in the world. Inside the museum, you can find a collection of more than 700,000 exhibits connected with navigation and shipbuilding. Many of them are masterpieces of decorative and applied art along with paintings and sculptures of famous Russian and foreign artists. Originally located at the tip of Vasilievskly Island in the crumbling old Stock Exchange building, now you can find it in a wonderful updated and modernized old building.

 Details:

  • Address: 5, Pl. Truda
  • Metro: Admiralty, Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, Last admission at 5:15 pm.
  • Closed: Monday and Tuesday
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 328-2501
  • Website: www.eng.navalmuseum.ru/
  • Admission: Adults: 500Rubles; Students: 300Rubles. Temporaly Exhibitions -> Adults: 600Rubles; Students: 400Rubles. Excursion (group) in English: 500Rubles each.
  • Photo & video: Free/Included
  • Accessibility note: Limited wheelchair access available.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.

Central Railway Museum


"One of the most interesting museums in St Petersburg for love model trains lover"

This is undoubtedly the country's best museum about Russian railways and one of our favorite museums in St Petersburg. Once inside you will find a complete collection devoted to the development of Railways in Russia and the former USSR, from the very first Russian steam locomotive. If you are a collector or want to learn more about Russian railway history then a visit to this Russian museum should be a must on your to-do-list. Unfortunately, labeling is in Russian, so hiring a tour guide would come in handy.

 Details:

  • Address: 50, Sadovaya Ulitsa
  • Metro: Sennaya Ploschad or Sadovaya
  • Open: Sunday to Thursday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Closed: Friday, Saturday and the last Thursday of the month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 315-1476
  • Website: www.museum.ru/museum/railway
  • Admission: Adult: 150Rubles; Students/children: 50Rubles
  • Photo & video: 200Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1.5 hours here.

Museum of Cosmonautics and Rocket Technology


"One more the top museums in St Petersburg to learn the history of the development of rocket technology in the Soviet Union and Russia"

This is one of the several Russian museums in St Petersburg that you will find inside the famous Peter and Paul Fortress. The museum displays the history of the development of rocket technology in the Soviet Union and Russia. Among the exhibits, you can admire a number of historic rocket engines, as well as a Soviet-era re-entry capsule, cosmonauts' space suits. We've been here once and it was very impressive.

 Details:

  • Address: 3, Petropavlovskaya Krepost
  • Metro: Gorkovskaya, Sportivnaya
  • Open: Thursday to Monday, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Tuesday, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Closed: Wednesdays and the last Tuesday of each month.
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 230-6431
  • Website: www.russianmuseums.info/M223
  • Admission: Adults: 100Rubles; Children/Students: 50Rubles
  • Photo & video: Not allowed
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.
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Icebreaker "Krasin"


"An Inspirational Floating Museum"

This historic ship, moored off the southern bank of Vasilyevsky Island, is one of the more recent additions to the scene of the museums in St Petersburg. Now a floating museum, once it took part in the rescue operation to save the Italian polar expedition led by Umberto Nobile. The icebreaker also played a key role during WWII. This is a really intriguing piece of history that displays the power of Russian technology. A tour through the ship will enlighten you on its purpose, especially in the Arctic Circle.

Details:

  • Address: 22, Naberezhnaya Leitenanta Shmidta, corner of 23rd Liniya, V.O.
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:00 pm
  • Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays and every last Wednesday of the month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 325-3547
  • Website: www.krassin.ru/en
  • Admission: Adult: 300Rubles; Students: 150Rubles; Children: 70Rubles; Note: Children under 14 years of age should be accompanied by an adult.
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Submarine D-2 Narodovets


"An impressive submarine worth visiting for anyone"

The submarine “Narodovolets” was one of the first Soviet submarines built-in 1929. A veteran of WWII, now it is a fascinating example of shipbuilding in Russia. Honestly, this historical memorial of the Russian Navy is worthy of your time because the interior of the ship looks exactly the same as it looked in the 1940s.

 Details:

  • Address: 10, Shkiperskiy Protok
  • Metro: Primorskaya
  • Open: Daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 356-5266
  • Website: www.navalmuseum.ru/filials/narodovolec
  • Admission: Adult: 350Rubles; Student: 200Rubles
  • Photo & video: Free
  • Accessibility note: Not suitable for wheelchair-bound or motion-impaired visitors.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

C-189 Submarine


"An other great submarine worth visiting for submarines lovers"

Located in the oldest Russian Submarine C-189 this is one of the best floating museums in St Petersburg to see.   Fully restored and now open to the public, this submarine is less known than the D-2 Narodovolets but in a way, it is even more interesting as it is not on the shore, but in water. Once on board, you are free to wander the length and breadth of the vessel and to touch whatever you want. So don't miss the chance to tell your friends that you have been inside a Russian submarine.

 Details:

  • Address: Peer, Naberezhnaya Leytenanta Shmidta
  • Metro: Vasileostrovskaya
  • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Last admission at 6:00 pm.
  • Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 312-0977
  • Website: www.museum-s-189.ru
  • Admission: Adult: 400Rubles; Student: 300Rubles; Children: 200Rubles;
  • Photo & video: Not allowed
  • Accessibility note: Not suitable for wheelchair-bound or motion-impaired visitors.
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 1 hour here.

Central Museum of Communication named after A.S. Popov


"An unusual and very interesting museum to discover"

Named after the great Russian radio pioneer Alexander Popov, this is the only museum devoted to the history of the post and postal communications in Russia. Offering a number of entertaining interactive displays alongside more traditional exhibits, such as a superb collection of Russian, Soviet and foreign stamps as well as a collection of communication equipment, this is one of the most visited museums in St Petersburg among Russian students.

 Details:

  • Address: 4, Pochtamtsky Pereulok
  • Metro: Admiralteyskaya
  • Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. Last admission is at 5:00 pm.
  • Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and the last Thursday of each month
  • Telephone: +7 (812) 323-9718; (For excursions: +7 (812) 571-0060)
  • Website: www.rustelecom-museum.ru
  • Admission: Adult 120Rubles; Students/children: 60Rubles
  • Photo & video: 100Rubles
  • Accessibility note: Sorry, this museum is not wheelchair accessible (only stairs).
  • Tip: People typically spend up to 2 hours here.

TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS


Our Tips and Recommendations

You should know that for some exhibitions and museums in St Petersburg (but not all) ticket prices for foreigners are considerably higher than for Russian citizens. Nevertheless, they are still not that expensive compared with those in Western countries.

  • To get the best out of your trip to St Petersburg we recommend paying for a tour guide as by doing this you not only jump the queues to all of the sites (palaces, parks, and museums in St Petersburg), but you get also a wealth of information.
  • If you want to avoid long lines, especially during the high season, which is from May to August, keep in mind to buy entrance tickets to the most popular museums in St Petersburg in advance. You can do that on-line by yourself through the official website's museum, or with the help of a tour guide if you book one.
  • Be aware that not all the museums in St Petersburg offer the chances to buy tickets on-line like the Hermitage museum. Also, many are still in the Russian language only.
  • By now you should know that there are many museums in St Petersburg to explore, and as I said early, they all are really worth visiting, but you can't see all of them in one day, time and planning is required beforehand.
  • For first time visitors, we recommend the Hermitage Museum and Russian State Museum; the museum of political history; the museum of art design at Marble Palace, and the Faberge Museum.
  • Please take note that all the ticket offices in the museums in St Petersburg close one hour before the official closing time. Also, remember most museums in St Petersburg ask you to buy an extra photography ticket if you would like to take photos or videos.

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