Some of the best museums in St. Petersburg
As Russia’s second city, St. Petersburg is a real jewel of a place. Situated on the Baltic Sea, it’s a stunningly beautiful city with a lot of history to it. The Russian Revolution saw the storming of the Winter Palace, with the Imperial family losing their lives shortly after. And the city suffered massively during the Second World War.
Then known as Leningrad, the city endured one of the worst sieges of the Twentieth Century. Today, however, St. Petersburg is a dynamic city and a favourite stop for tourists looking to get a taste of Russia.
As a result, it’s no surprise that there’s no shortage of museums on offer, dedicated to various aspects of the city and country. We’re going to look at some of the very best ones on offer, so that you can work out exactly where to head to when you arrive.
Visit the Heart of Russian Literature
Dostoevsky is rightly recognised as one of the giants of Russian literature. His enduring appeal has seen his works adapted for cinema as recently as Richard Ayoade’s take on The Double. St Petersburg was Dostoevsky’s home for a time, and he wrote some of his most famous works here.
As a result, it’s hardly surprising that the Dostoevsky Museum should be such a fascinating place for anyone interested in his work and life. Set up in the apartment he lived in, the museum endeavours to provide visitors with an accurate insight into his life, and that of his family.
With a thorough rundown of the man’s life, as well as a detailed picture of what life was like in St. Petersburg at the time, it’s great for anyone looking for a taste of the past.
Get to Grips with the City’s Troubling History
The Museum of the Defense and Siege of Leningrad is a sobering reminder of the living nightmare the city experienced during the Second World War.
The siege lasted 870 days, during which the city was effectively cut off from the outside world. With few air drop supply lines feeding the city, its inhabitants faced starvation over the course of nearly three years.
The city was badly damaged during the conflict, and artillery and snipers made it a hellish place. This museum aims to give an understanding into life during the siege, with everyday items from the people who experienced it. The Eastern Front was one of the most brutal aspects of the war, and this museum accurately depicts the misery that became everyday life for the inhabitants of the city.
Learn About One of the World’s Greatest Armies
Russia has always taken its military seriously, as any major empire would. The Military-Historical Museum is St. Petersburg’s primary military museum, and the building itself boasts a fairly impressive history.
Sited in front of the Peter and Paul Fortress, the museum was commissioned in 1703 to serve as a repository for retired military equipment. Over time, the museum has expanded, and today is made up of a total of thirteen different halls, housing a huge range of different relics from various conflicts.
The collection has expanded to take in a number of items relating to various scientific pursuits tangentially connected to the army, such as medicine and aeronautical science. Russia has at various times been a leader regarding the armed forces, and the items collected here reflect over three centuries of innovation in war.
View the Most Luxurious Jewellery in Europe
For years, Faberge has been a byword for luxury in the production of jewellery. The company is particularly noted for its jewel-encrusted eggs, items worth many millions of pounds.
These eggs became traditional gifts among the Russian royal family at Easter, and many of the largest collections in the world were in the Russian Empire. However, after the Revolution, production came to a halt. Many of the items became nationalised, while others fell into private hands and gradually disappeared.
The world’s largest surviving collection can be seen at the St. Petersburg Faberge Museum. Owned by oligarch Vekselburg, it can be viewed in the Shuvalov Palace, now known through the city as the Faberge Museum. The items are astonishingly intricate, with price tags that run well into the millions.
Learn the History of Russian Communism
Once owned by ballet dancer Mathilda Kshesinskaya, the mansion that houses the State Museum of Political Theory in Russia was occupied by the Bolsheviks following the 1917 Russian Revolution.
Both Stalin and Lenin worked within the building, hence its current role as museum to the history of communism in the country. The collection houses a wide range of items, documents and testimonials that illustrate the turbulent and often violent history of Russia in the Twentieth Century.
From famine and stalinist purges in the Thirties, to the Second World War, to the political thaw following the death of Stalin and the fall of communism through Perestroika, the museum is a fascinating illustration of the unique and difficult history Russia has gone through. Anyone looking for a detailed understanding of the country is strongly advised to investigate.
View Some of the Most Striking Art in Russia
St. Petersburg is full of repurposed Imperial palaces, but few have served their new role as long as the State Russian Museum. As the name suggests, this is one of the country’s most important flagship museums, and serves as a repository for a range of art and exhibits.
The structure was initially in the ownership of Prince Michael Pavlovich, son of Emperor Pavel I, and received its current role towards the end of the Nineteenth Century.
It is home to around 400,000 works of art, some of which date back all the way to the Tenth Century. It’s easily one of the most impressive galleries in the country, and the palace itself is impressive enough to warrant a trip on its own.
The Winter Palace Is a True Sight to Behold
The Winter Palace is surely the most impressive of all buildings in St. Petersburg. Built in the Eighteenth Century, the palace became the preferred holiday location for the Russian Imperial family, hence its title.
It has thankfully been well preserved over the years, and is home to over three million works of art, spread across four separate buildings. As you’d expect for a royal residence, the surroundings are opulent, and the works are some of the most important in Russia. Works start at the Classical period, and extend up to the modern day.
If you hope to see it all in one go, you may be disappointed. With so much on offer, there’s only so much a person can get through in a single visit, but don’t let that put you off from giving it a look.
St. Petersburg is one of Europe’s most beautiful and opulent cities. Like Russia itself, the city has gone through a troubling history with a large amount of upheaval and conflict. But despite periods of difficulty, it has managed to retain a huge amount of the charm and beauty that made it so important to the royal family.
The above museums are some of the best in Europe, and perfect for a traveller looking to acquaint themselves with a stunning location.
About the author: William Benetton is a sportsman and freelance writer. Also he loves web-design, around five months ago he has created his first website, check it out. William can’t live without traveling, pets, sweet coffee and self-improvement.