In Saint Petersburg, the palaces, parks and even cathedrals are all veritable museums in which all kinds of art can be found.
In addition to the palaces/museums that we have mentioned in our previous article, Hermitage, Peterhof Palace, Catherine the Great Palace and others, today in this post we are going to focus on some of the most interesting museums dedicated exclusively to very specific themes .
Faberge Museum
“Fabergé eggs” have long become synonymous with wealth and luxury, because these expensive items were made especially for the imperial court in Russia.
Its author was the Russian jeweler Carl Faberge, who created 71 copies, 52 of which were intended for the imperial family.
Unfortunately, most of them were lost and scattered all over the world, but 9 of them, which are the largest collection today, are exposed in the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg.
Most of the collection was donated by businessman Viktor Vekselberg, who bought them in 2004 at auction in the United States.
In addition to Fabergé eggs, the museum presents thousands of no less interesting pieces of jewelry.
Russian Museum, Mikhailovsky Palace
Nowhere travelers to Russia can you find as many works by Russian artists and sculptors as are presented in the Russian Museum, famous for its largest collection of Russian art.
The collection of paintings, sculptures, coins, folk art, and other exhibits is so large that it is housed in five buildings at the same time.
Main building is the Mikhailovsky Palace, which belonged to Prince Mikhail Pavlovich, the younger brother of Alexander I.
The rest of the exhibition is located in the rooms of the Mikhailovsky Castle, the Marble and Stroganov Palaces and in the Summer Garden.
There is a branch of the Russian Museum even in Spain, in the city of Malaga.
The total number of the museum collection is more than 400 thousand pieces. Many of which can be seen on the online virtual tour, but nothing compares to visiting a museum, especially one this big and beautiful.
Naval Museum
Peter I not only founded the second largest city in Russia, but also made a great contribution to the development of the fleet.
At the time of his death, the Russian fleet numbered 32 battleships, 16 frigates and 8 snow (ship).
Such a fleet could already compete with the greatest sea powers for dominance over the sea, which had to be done more than once during numerous wars.
The St. Petersburg Naval Museum began to develop simultaneously with the arrival of the fleet. The craftsmen who worked on the ships were ordered to make exact models of the different ships, but in miniature.
Those miniatures became the first exhibits, and over time real ships, naval guns, planes, photographs, notes, drawings, banners, and even an experimental submarine were added.
Each exhibition is a separate period in the development of the country’s navy.
Kunstkammer another jewel of the museums in St. Petersburg
Peter I not only founded St. Petersburg, but also opened the first museum in Russia in the newborn city.
Known throughout the world as the Kunstkamera, it is officially named the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography in honor of Peter the Great.
The basis of the exhibition is a unique collection of antiques that tell the life and history of different ethnics. However, the museum became popular thanks to the Kunstkamera, an exhibition for anatomical anomalies and anomalies.
During his travels in Europe at the end of the 17th century, Peter repeatedly visited “kunshty” or halls of miracles.
He liked the idea of creating his own museum so much that he began massively buying exhibits around the world.
Currently, the Kunstkamera has a collection that is not for the faint of heart: Siamese twins, two-headed animals, babies with fused limbs, and many other anomalies.
Artillery Museum
Building a warship is half the battle, because what good is it if there’s nothing to shoot with?
Peter I perfectly understood this, therefore, simultaneously with shipbuilding, he developed artillery.
In 1703, he founded a museum, where he ordered to assemble a collection “for the memory of eternal glory”.
The first exhibits were mortars, cannons, rifles, banners, and other items related to military affairs.
With the development of weapons, the collection of the Artillery Museum was also expanded: it is now divided into 3 floors and more than ten exhibits.
- On the first floor, the visitor will be able to take a closer look at the development of artillery from the time it appeared in Russia until 1917.
- On the second floor, the exhibition is a collection of exhibits that tell the story of Russia’s cadet and engineer troops.
- The third floor is the most interesting, as it tells about the artillery used and created during the Great Patriotic War.
The museum is very interesting, and the abundance of exhibits will not let both adults and children get bored.
You want to visit the museums in Saint Petersburg
We have itineraries that contain guided visits to the museums in Saint Petersburg, but the program can also be customized according to the desire of each traveler to St. Petersburg.
Contact us for more information.
