The Best Museums In St. Petersburg

When there are so many museums to choose from, but also not enough time to see them all, it’s crucial to make the right choices. Museums come in different shapes and sizes in St. Petersburg. Many are located in historic buildings of palaces once belonging to noble families or even the royals themselves. Some are more modest apartments that served as homes to famous Russian artists. Here are the museums that should be first on your list.

1. The State Hermitage Museum

Museum

The Winter Palace, also known as The Hermitage, began acquiring its extensive collection when the Imperial family started using it as their winter residence in the 18th century. The collection currently comprises over 3 million works of art spread throughout four buildings along the Neva river embankment. The museum houses artworks starting from the classical period to modern art from all over the world. If one was to spend a minute in front of each artwork, it would take more than seven years to see them all. Such an impressive collection is worth visiting at least once.
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 10:30am-6:00pm (Wednesday 10:30am-9:00pm)

2. The State Russian Museum

Museum

The State Russian Museum is housed in the palace that once belonged to Prince Michael Pavlovich, one of the sons of the Emperor Pavel I. The palace became a museum by the end of the 19th century and is dedicated in particular to the work of Russian artists. There are more than 400,000 works of Russian art, some dating back to the 10th century. Among the many famous artists displayed here are Brullov, Aivazovksy, Repin, and Vasnetsov.
Open: Wednesday to Monday 10:00am-6:00pm (Thursday 1:00pm-9:00pm)

3. The State Museum of Political History of Russia

Building, Museum

The mansion that houses the Museum of Political History of Russia once belonged to renowned ballet dancer Mathilda Kshesinskaya right up until the February Revolution of 1917. After she left the building, it was occupied by Bolsheviks; after that, members of the leadership, such as Lenin and Stalin, worked here. Therefore, the choice of building is not coincidental. It played an important role in the modern history of Russia, and now in turn explains the events of the 20th century. Here you can find documents, posters, photographs, and other memorabilia that together paint a picture of one of the most turbulent eras in Russia’s history.

Kuybysheva Street 2-4, St. Petersburg, Russia

Open: Friday to Wednesday 10:00am-6:00pm (Wednesday 10:00am-8:00pm)

Exhibition at the Museum of Political History| © cat_collector/Flickr

5. Military-Historical Museum of Artillery

Building, Museum, Park

This museum has aimed for nothing less than putting together the entirety of Russia’s military history, and there is certainly a lot to it. The building, located right in front of the historic Peter and Paul Fortress, was commissioned in 1703 to serve as a warehouse for old artillery objects. With time, the museum continued growing and now comprises 13 halls displaying monuments of science, technology and art all related to the military history of Russia.

Aleksandrovskii Park 7, St. Petersburg, Russia

Open: Wednesday to Sunday 11:00am-6:00pm (closed on the last Thursday of the month)

6. Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad

Museum

The history of modern St. Petersburg is closely connected to the Second World War. It is likely that every family living in the city was affected by the war. For 870 days, the city was under one of the longest and most destructive sieges in the world – the Siege of Leningrad. The Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad is the only museum dedicated to those terrifying years and itself faced destruction soon after being founded. The collection of the museum includes personal items from Siege survivors, as well as weapons, photos, documents and personal recollections of the many people who suffered in the war years.
Open: Wednesday to Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm (Wednesday 12:30pm-8:30pm, closed on the last Thursday of the month)

7. Dostoevsky Museum

Museum

Saint Petersburg is Dostoevsky’s city. Being one of the most recognised Russian authors for the complex issues addressed in his novels, many of Dostoevsky’s works are set in Saint Petersburg, because it was the city in which he lived and worked until the end of his life. The Dostoevsky Museum opened in the apartment Fyodor Dostoevsky rented in Saint Petersburg, where he had worked on famous novels such as The Double and The Brothers Karamazov. The apartment was recreated as accurately as possible from the memoirs of his wife and his contemporaries.
Open: Tuesday to Sunday 11:00am-6:00pm (Wednesday 1:00pm-8:00pm)

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.