Overview of the best museums in St. Petersburg in 2022

Visiting museums in St. Petersburg is not only an immersion in history for citizens, but also an acquaintance of tourists and foreign citizens with the culture of Russia and significant events. Each of the museums tells its own history of the past: about the city, the events associated with it, the genealogy of the nobility and much more. Attention is drawn to the rating of the best museums of the past centuries and the present of the city of St. Petersburg for 2022.

All about the museums of St. Petersburg: selection criteria

There are more than 200 museums and their branches in the city. Getting around everything, even in a week, is simply impossible. The question arises, how to choose the right one and not be disappointed?

According to the type of activity and direction, museums are classified into the main types:

Table - "Museums and their purpose"

Name	Description
Ethnographic	about the history of peoples and their culture of the modern or past century
Archaeological	collection of exhibits obtained through excavations
Military	is engaged in the storage of military weapons, securities, equipment and everything related to hostilities
general historical	stores materials about different states and their development
Polytechnic	museums related to technology. For example, mechanical engineering, astronautics, etc.
Scientific	exhibit exhibits related to biological, geological, zoological and anthropological research
local history	combination of several profiles, for example, historical and biological
Literary	exhibits printed publications of one or more states
Historical	a narrow direction that introduces the history of a particular family nest or some event

If you are going to visit a museum, you need to set a goal of what exactly you would like to see. Some advice on this:

• If you would like to learn about the history of the development of some noble family, then you should go to museums-palaces.There are more than a dozen complexes in the city, which host not only excursions, but also various events, exhibitions, etc.
• Museums of a narrow direction help to appreciate the world of art. For example: painting - galleries; creativity of writers and musicians - houses or apartments-museums;
• The state historical museums will help to get acquainted with the history of Russia and other countries.

Special attention deserves modern museums that use non-standard presentation of information, using the latest technologies or creative thinking. Such places are loved by parents and children.

The choice of a museum also consists of other criteria:

• Convenient work schedule;
• Ticket price;
• Location (some museums are located in the suburbs);
• Show programs;
• Availability of discounts and benefits;
• Rules of conduct and much more.

Popular palace-museums of St. Petersburg

The review includes 8 of the most famous palaces. Behind the name of each of them lies the history of the family to which it belonged. Everyone can visit the palaces: from adult tourists to children. A feature of museums is individual styles of architecture, orientation and holding events in combination with excursions.

All palaces belong to the status of "State Museum".

"Beloselsky-Belozersky"

Address: Nevsky prospect, building 41

☎: +7 (812) 982-42-39

Working hours: 11:00-19:00, seven days a week. Lunch: from 14:30 to 15:00

The palace is located on the embankment of the Fontanka River. It was designed according to the Stroganov Palace that already existed at that time. The opening of the museum falls on the 18th century (1846-1848). The facade of the building is made in the Baroque and Rococo styles. The greatness of the palace is given by the many sculptures of the Atlanteans supporting the columns, as well as their images on the window frames. Today, the building hosts theatrical performances and concerts.This museum was the last private palace built on Nevsky Prospekt in the 19th century.

Ticket prices:

Description of the tour:	history of the palace and its owners
Cost of 1 ticket (rubles):	adults, citizens of the Russian Federation - 300
	students, pensioners, beneficiaries of the Russian Federation - 200
	for schoolchildren - 150

• Location;
• For all;
• Performances of various kinds: children's performances, concerts, etc.;
• The halls are all restored;
• Conducting tours of the palace;
• Convenient work schedule;
• Work is underway with creative teams;
• The management conducts city-scale events;
• Subscriptions can be purchased.

• Sometimes it's hard to get tickets.

Yusupovsky

Address: Moika river embankment, building 94

☎: +7 (812) 314 98 83; +7 (812) 314 38 59

Working hours: 11:00-18:00 every day

Site: yusupov-palace.ru

The building is located in a picturesque place - on the banks of the Moika River. In addition to sightseeing tours, theater events are held in the palace. Ticket offices on the days of theatrical performances begin their work from 10:30 to 19:00. Tickets are not sold if there is less than 10 minutes left before the start of the tour or event.

General information about the palace:

To whom:	everyone
What is:	palace, home theatre, house church, stable wing, park
Price (rubles):	sightseeing tour - 450,
	tour with audio guide – 700
When opened:	1914-1916
Peculiarities:	governmental and diplomatic meetings, international conferences and symposiums are held.

• World fame;
• Large areas for visiting;
• staging of theatrical plays;
• Everyone;
• Location.

• Dear visit.

"Sheremetevsky"

Location: Embankment of the Fontanka River, 34

☎: +7 812 272-44-41

Working hours: 13:00-21:00 - Wednesday, 11:00-19:00 - Thursday, Friday

Website: theatremuseum.ru

Sheremetyevo Palace of the 18th century is a collection of five individual museums of theatrical and musical art, located throughout St. Petersburg in historical buildings. Excursions are held in the palace itself, telling about the family and life of the Sheremetevs, in addition, one of the largest collections of musical instruments in Russia is located here. This is the place where you can go with children - students of musical institutions.

As for other museums:

• the building of the former Directorate of Imperial Theaters - a museum of the history of Russian and world theater;
• the memorial building of the great composer with interiors of the 19th century - the museum-apartment of N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov;
• House-Museum of F. I. Chaliapin - a complex that includes "Open Funds";
• Museum-apartment of the Samoilov family of actors - about the history of the theatrical dynasty.

General information about events:

For whom:	adults and children, tourists
What is for children:	Excursions, interactive classes and whole cycles of interactive lessons, master classes
Ticket price (rubles):	children - 100,
	adults - 200
For groups (rubles):	2500 + input
	accompanying person - admission is free

• The whole complex;
• Various programs for children of all ages;
• Possibility to purchase a subscription for the whole family;
• Cheap tickets;
• Fascinating excursions;
• Palace interior.

• Working schedule.

"Stroganov"

Address: Nevsky prospect, building 17

☎: +7 (812) 314-34-48

Working hours: 10:00-18:00 - Mon., Wed., Fri., Sun.; 13:00-21:00 - Thu.

Site: rusmuseum.ru

The palace hosts various thematic exhibitions, for example, dedicated to the anniversary of the lifting of the blockade of Leningrad. You can also admire the permanent exhibitions:

• Decorative and applied art during the reign of Alexander I;
• Mineralogical cabinet - for viewing the book collections of Count A. S. Stroganov and collections of minerals.

General information about the museum:

When opened:	1753-1754
Style:	baroque
Free entry:	foreign tourists who have bought the St. Petersburg Guest Card.
Average ticket price:	200-450 rubles

• The location is good;
• Convenient time to visit;
• Permanent exhibitions;
• Conducting excursions;
• Thematic exhibitions;
• Free entry available;
• Suitable for everyone.

• Not identified.

"Marble"

Address: st. Millionnaya, building 5/1

☎: +7 812 595‑42-48, +7 812 595‑42-03,

Working hours: Mon., Wed. from 10:00 to 17:30; Thu. from 13:00 to 20:30; fri-sun from 10:00 to 17:30

Site: rusmuseum.ru

The peculiarity of the building is the facade made of natural stone. This building is the first of its kind in the city. It combines various types of marble and Baikal lapis lazuli in its design. In the 19th-2nd centuries, the palace was the ancestral home of the great princes of the Romanov dynasty (a branch of Konstantinovich).

General information about the palace:

Year of foundation:	1768-1785
How much does the ticket cost:	170-350 rubles
Architecture style:	classicism
Museum type:	visual arts
Main building material:	marble

• Reduced tickets;
• Payment by card;
• Nugget;
• There are special children's excursions;
• Ample parking nearby;
• Exposition of the palace;
• Democratic prices;
• Variety of exhibitions.

• Not identified.

"Konstantinovsky"

Address: Birch alley, 3, Strelna

☎: +7 812 438‑53-50, +7 812 438‑53-60

Opening hours: Thursday-Tuesday from 10:00 to 18:00, day off - Wednesday and days of the state. activities

Site: konstantinpalace.ru

In the suburbs of St. Petersburg, on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, there is the Konstantinovsky Palace. It is a palace and park ensemble of Strelna, a state residence, a business center and a historical and cultural reserve.

General information about the palace:

Year of foundation:	1720
Founder:	Peter I
Architecture style:	baroque
Recommended age for visiting excursions:	from 6 years old
Group tours:	up to 15 people
Prices (rubles):	on the spot - 330,
	online - 350
Prices, if there are benefits (rubles):	on the spot - 200,
	online - 220

• Very interesting;
• Palace from a series that are must-see;
• The palace has been restored with the preservation of the former;
• Highly qualified workers;
• Multifunctional;
• Online tickets;
• Acceptable prices;
• Fresh air;
• Getting there is easy;
• For a wide range of people.

• Excursions are carried out at a very fast pace;
• Not everything is viewable.

"Catherine"

Address: st. Sadovaya, 7, Pushkin

☎: +7 812 465‑94-24, +7 812 465‑20-24

Work schedule: Mon., Wed. – 12:00-20:00; Thu-Sun – 12:00–19:00

Site: tzar.ru

The Tsarskoye Selo Museum-Reserve, where the palace is located, is a picturesque place that has preserved the memory of the difficult lot of the Russian people. After the war, the palace was restored, and now thousands of tourists come to admire the local beauty. The highlight of the palace is the "Amber Room".

General information about the palace:

Foundation date:	1717
Construction:	1752-1756 years
Architecture style:	Elizabethan Baroque
Founder:	Catherine I
Ticket prices (rubles):	adults - 700,
	for pensioners of the Russian Federation and Belarus - 350
	children under 16 years old - free of charge,
	from 16 years old and students - 350
	rent an audio guide - 200, but you need to leave a deposit: a passport and 1 thousand rubles
Tour duration:	1 hour
Recommended Audience:	from high school students to tourists
Number of people for group tours:	15-20

• You can take pictures;
• Tours in different languages;
• Free for schoolchildren;
• Very beautiful;
• There is a hotel;
• You can order a horse-drawn carriage;
• Rent halls for celebrations;
• You can move away from the group and walk around the palace yourself;
• Fresh air.

• Quick tours;
• Frequent lines at the checkout.

"Elaginoostrovsky"

Address: Yelagin island, building 4, Petrogradsky district

☎: +7 812 430‑09-11, +7 812 430‑11-31

Working hours: 6:00–23:00, daily

Website: www.elaginpark.org

Many interesting events are held on the island: concerts, festivals, holidays, exhibitions, theme nights. You can rent a room for photography. The peculiarity of the palace is the Museum of Artistic Glass. For children: excursion-game, game-quest and interactive tour of the exhibition. You can visit the palace on vacation with your parents.

General information about the palace:

Founded:	1790
Construction:	1785-1790 years
Architecture:	Palladian style
Ticket price in the middle price segment:	30-400 rubles
Paid:	weekends and holidays
Is free:	weekdays
Persons over 18+:	100 rubles
Schoolchildren:	30 rubles

• Interesting;
• Handsomely;
• Unusual;
• Various events;
• Children's excursions;
• Opportunity to dine and rent a hotel;
• Large hall for fancy balls;
• For any age category.

• Some rooms are under restoration.

List of the best museums and other historical places in the city of St. Petersburg where you can go with children

The city has a huge number of historical places where you can go with children, so the most famous and interesting museums for this year are presented to your attention. The list includes places that are classified by type of activity:

• Multimedia project about the history of Russia of any century;
• Museum of Records and Facts;
• Museum of the Observatory and Planetarium;
• Everything about the structure and actions of man;
• Museum of laughter;
• A collection of organisms from all over the world - the Paleontology Museum;
• The largest and oldest museum with animal exhibits is the Zoological Museum.

Historical Park "Russia - My History"

Address: st. Basseinaya, 32

☎: +7 (812) 617-00-90

Working hours: 10:00–20:45, except Monday

Website: myhistorypark.ru

The exposition complex, one of the largest in Russia, whose projects are located in 19 different cities. This place is a living textbook on the history of Russia, from its inception to the present time. An ideal option for teachers in teaching students in the subject of "History".

Festivals and master classes for the little ones are held here. For example, a master class on first aid or the Let's Play Jazz festival. It can be visited by everyone from the young to the old generation. The highlight of the museum is considered to be multimedia. Here are:

• volumetric reconstructions of famous battles;
• there are cinemas (domed and conventional);
• installations;
• mannequins in ancient outfits;
• video walls;
• panoramas;
• touch tables;
• mapping projections;
• interactive media and much more.

General information about the place:

Museum type:	general historical, historical and revolutionary, personal, memorial
Average ticket price:	300-500 rubles
The first mention of the project:	November 4, 2013

• unconventional;
• For everyone;
• Ability to pay online;
• Variety of activities;
• Very interesting;
• The scale of the project;
• Free entry available;
• Unforgettable experience;
• Informative;
• Audio guide;
• Unusual.

• You need to read a lot, so for very young children such an excursion will be tiring.

"Titicaca"

Address: st. Kazanskaya, 7

☎: +7 (812) 982-29-36

Working hours: 10:00-21:00, every day

Website: www.titiqaqa.ru

A fascinating specialized museum for the whole family. Here you can not only see exhibits of small and huge sizes, but touch them, smell them, conduct your own micro-research and much more. The organizers hold promotions, in addition, there are discounts on tickets. For example, 5 tickets with a 30% discount.

General information about the museum:

What is:	interesting tour reviews
	Guinness records
	1 thousand incredible facts
	holidays and birthdays
Ticket price (rubles):	adult - 450-550
	children 6-14 years old - 350-450
	individual excursion with a guide – 1000
Visitors:	about 18 thousand
Exhibits from all over the world:	over 86
A person who has learned something new:	73 thousand

• Unique;
• Filming and photography allowed;
• For all;
• Very interesting;
• Availability of discounts;
• There is one in the city;
• A complex of 4 thematic halls.

• Not identified.

"Planetarium No. 1"

Address: emb. Bypass channel, 74

☎: +7 812 407-17-31

Opening hours: 10:00-22:00, weekends only

Website: spb.kassir.ru

Space Museum.What makes it different from others: showing sessions in 3D format under the dome of the building. You can learn everything about space and not only. Shows are held, for example, "Houses of St. Petersburg: amazing stories of 5 famous family nests." You can apply for an installment plan for the purchase of a ticket up to 90 days.

General information about the museum:

Installment terms:	from 413 rubles, 0.2% per day rate, payment 2 times a week
Average ticket price:	350-1200 rubles
Recommended duration of visit:	1-2 hours
Dome diameter:	37 m
Equipment:	40 projectors
Reduced ticket:	students, pensioners, schoolchildren, children over 3 years old, large families, disabled people of the 2nd and 3rd groups
Is free:	veterans of the Second World War, residents of besieged Leningrad, disabled people of the 1st group with one accompanying person, disabled children with an accompanying person, children under 3 years old

• Interesting;
• Informative;
• Indescribable feelings;
• Powerful equipment;
• Services;
• Benefits apply;
• Free entry available;

• Lack of wardrobe
• Expensive.

"Inside the Man"

Address: st. Bolshaya Morskaya, 5

☎: +7 (812) 938-55-06

Working hours: 10:00-22:00, daily

Museum for children and parents, as well as youth. Here are all the answers to simple, and at the same time, perplexing, questions about a person. Recommended museum for children "pochemuchek". Sample questions:

• Why do we sneeze?
• Who has the longest nose?
• Our memory capacity?

Established rules: it is allowed to touch and remove the exhibits.

What is special: the entrance is “through the oral cavity”, the exit is “through the anus of a person”.

General information about the museum:

Age limit:	0+
Is free:	children under 5 years old upon presentation of an identity document
Subscription ticket price:	200 rubles
Rooms:	over 10
Ticket price:	350 rubles

• Everything is allowed to be touched and photographed;
• Informative;
• Interesting;
• Original entry and exit;
• The museum conducts free tours;
• Democratic prices;
• For all;
• Accessible game form of visiting;
• You can purchase a subscription;
• Online purchase of tickets;
• There is a Moscow branch.

• Not identified.

"Trickster"

Address: st. Zhukovsky, 37

☎: +7 (921) 868-77-27

Working schedule: Tue-Sat. – 13:00-19:00

Website: www.gidspb.com

The museum has a collection of games from the USSR, which you can play on the spot or just look at the exhibits. In addition, there are related pictures of that time. If someone at home has preserved things of the same theme of this period, then the museum management will gladly accept them as exhibits. The building hosts various exhibitions dedicated to a narrow range of interests. For example, "Lukomorye - the world of Soviet childhood."

General information about the museum:

The museum collection is divided into:	children's and adult items of Soviet life associated with the festive folk culture of laughter
Museum type:	private
Exhibition tour:	500 rubles
Time for visiting the expositions and games:	2 hours
Ticket discount 100 rubles:	when visiting again, presenting an old ticket
Ticket price:	children - 200
	adult - 250

• Immersion in childhood;
• Interesting for children;
• Entertainment;
• Domestic;
• The opportunity to become a participant in the replenishment of the collection of exhibits;
• Block system;
• For adults and children.

• Not identified.

"Paleontological"

Address: st. 16 line, 29

☎: 78122137240

Working hours: Mon.-Fri.: 11:00-17:00

Website: paleo.museums.spbu.ru

The peculiarity of the museum: a collection of fossil organisms from various regions of the world. The collection of exhibits is constantly growing thanks to geological organizations and paleontology enthusiasts. Interesting to visit for schoolchildren and adults.

• Is free;
• Distribution of exhibits by groups;
• Interesting;
• Conducting various seminars and presentations;
• Informative.

• Not detected.

"Zoological"

Address: Universitetskaya emb., 1

☎: +7 812 328-01-12

Work schedule: Mon., Wed.-Sun.: 11:00–18:00

Website: zin.ru

The largest and oldest museum in Russia. Type specimens of animals are stored here. There are more than 300 thousand exhibits in the collection. The peculiarity of the museum: the presence of exhibits brought by Peter I from a trip to Holland. Stuffed animals of the Berezovsky mammoth, the skeleton of a southern elephant and mummies of mammoths, whose age is more than 40 thousand years, are stored here.

General information about the museum:

Founded:	1832
Cashier works:	until 16:45, break - 14:00-14:15
You can visit for free:	children under 7 years old, students of specialized educational institutions as part of the curriculum, disabled people, participants in the Second World War
Privileges:	pensioners, students and schoolchildren, cadets of higher military schools of the Russian Federation.
Paid (rubles):	adults - 250, for all other categories - 150

• Cash and non-cash payment;
• Cheap tickets;
• Existing benefits;
• Free entry available;
• You can take pictures;
• Ride with a baby stroller if the wheels are clear of dirt;
• Many exhibits;
• Amazing samples;
• An interesting spectacle.

• Not identified.

List of museums for obligatory visiting of citizens and tourists

Museums included in the rating:

• The largest association of large and small historical buildings, which has gained worldwide fame;
• Gallery, which stores a collection of paintings from various parts of the world;
• Jewelry Museum;
• Military Museum of the Navy.

"Russian"

Address: st. Engineering, 4

☎: +7 (962) 686-53-22

Working schedule: Mon., Wed., Fri.-Sun. – 10:00-18:00; Tue. - day off; Thu. – 13:00-21:00

Site: rusmuseum.ru

This is the largest organization, which includes a huge number of palaces, houses, gardens and much more. There is a lot of activity here:

• there are virtual branches of the Russian Museum;
• multimedia center;
• prepare and publish general catalogs of works in the building, as well as popular science publications;
• temporary exhibitions are held jointly with other organizations or individually;
• scientific internships, seminars for the exchange of experience with other museum workers;
• excursions, lectures, specialized classes for younger schoolchildren in circles and art studios are organized.

General information about museums:

Founded:	1895
Who founded:	Nicholas II
Peculiarities:	paintings from the Hermitage and the Academy of Arts,
	division of paintings by periods and schools,
	icons - a highlight, a large collection

• Consists of many branches;
• World fame;
• Violent activity;
• Capabilities;
• The largest Russian collection of various expositions;
• Classes are held for children;
• Architecture.

• Not identified.

"Hermitage"

Location: Palace embankment, 34

☎: (812) 710-96-25

Working hours: 10:30-18:00, Wed., Fri. – until 21:00

Website: hermitagemuseum.org

The museum is part of the Winter Palace, known throughout the world for its collection of paintings, which continues to grow. One day is not enough to see everything thoroughly. All canvases are divided into periods, author's works, so that it is more convenient to evaluate each of the "creators". The number of visitors is only increasing every year. Those who have an artistic interest should definitely visit this museum at least once in their lives. For the city, this is an ideal place to acquaint schoolchildren and students with the work of various artists and make the lesson more interesting and non-standard.

General information about the museum:

Direction:	fine and decorative arts
Founded:	1764
Tickets via machine:	700 rubles
Founder:	Catherine II
Visitors per year:	more than 5 thousand
Is free:	third Thursday of every month

• world greatness;
• Pictures from around the world;
• The guides are very interesting;
• Paid and free visits;
• Developed infrastructure;
• Rare paintings;
• Various events are held in the palace;
• Atmosphere;
• For all;
• Parking nearby.

• Complaints about incompetent staff.

Faberge

Address: emb. R. Fontanki, 21

☎: +7 812 333‑26-55

Opening hours: 10:00–20:45, every day

Website: fabergemuseum.ru

It houses a collection of Russian jewelry and decorative arts of the 19th-20th centuries. Feature of the museum: a collection of Faberge eggs (9 pcs.). Some eggs are gems of different types: decorated with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, etc. In addition, the museum hosts exhibitions.

General information about the museum:

Purpose:	private
Location:	Shuvalov Palace
Date of construction:	November 19, 2013
Opening:	year 2014
Dedicated to:	the work of the great jeweler Carl Faberge
Number of exhibits:	more than 4 thousand
Ticket price (rubles):	weekday - 450
	day off - 600 .

• Interesting;
• Very beautiful;
• Imperial contribution to the collection of Faberge eggs;
• Modern Museum;
• Online purchase of tickets;
• There are various works of arts and crafts.

• Expensive tickets.

"Central Naval"

Legal address: st. Bolshaya Morskaya, 69 "A"

☎: (812) 303-85-13

Opening hours: 11:00-18:00, Mon.-Fri.

Official website: navalmuseum.ru

The museum is one of the largest in the world, telling the story of the navy and the structure of ships. It also includes other branches, for example, the Museum of the Baltic Fleet and the Ship of Military Glory "Mikhail Kutuzov". Feature: a rich collection, participation in the exhibition in more than 20 countries.

General information about the museum:

Year of the history of the foundation of the museum:	1703
Founder:	Peter I
Visiting halls:	19 pcs.
Items related to important fleet events:	more than 700 thousand
Ship technology:	over 13 thousand
Weapons:	more than 11 thousand
Paintings:	over 62 thousand
Clothing and accessories for it::	more than 52 thousand
Documents:	more than 44 thousand
Photos and negatives:	about 300 thousand
Drawings:	hundreds of thousands
Collection of ship models:	about 2 thousand
Average ticket price:	100-300 rubles

• Reduced tickets;
• Payment by card;
• Scales;
• Building architecture;
• World fame;
• Very interesting;
• Rich collections;
• Informative;
• Consists of several branches.

• Not identified.

Conclusion

The amazing world of museums in the city of St. Petersburg is so diverse that you want to visit absolutely everything. There are old and new models, but they all perform the same function - they introduce information that plays an important role in the life of every person, whether a tourist or a city dweller. It is impossible to describe everything, so the review includes the most popular museums among the population of the city and tourists. Many are not included in the list, for example, theatrical, musical, museum of circus art, tea, optics, logistics, apartment museums, etc.

The entire list presented was divided into three main categories:

• Palaces-museums;
• Museums where you can go with children;
• Museums to visit.

The advantages and disadvantages of a particular place were compiled on the basis of visitor reviews. In some museums you can take pictures and photographs, and in some you can’t. The cost of a passing ticket was also taken into account, as well as the opportunity to visit the museum for free. The table provides basic information about each historical site.

Table - "Museums of St. Petersburg"

Name	Type of	Ticket price (rubles):
"Beloselsky-Belozersky"	historical	150-300
Yusupovsky	historical	450-700
"Sheremetevsky"	historical	100-200
"Stroganov"	historical	200-450
"Marble"	historical	170-350
"Konstantinovsky"	historical	200-350
"Catherine"	historical	350-700
"Elaginoostrovsky"	historical	30-400
"Russia is my history"	general historical	300-500
"Titicaca"	ethnographic	350-500
"Planetarium No. 1"	local history	350-1200
"Inside the Man"	ethnographic	200-350
"Trickster"	ethnographic	500
"Paleontological"	archaeological	-
"Zoological"	archaeological	150-250
"Russian"	local history	depends on where you visit
"Hermitage"	local history	700
Faberge	historical	450-600
"Central Naval"	military	100-300

All museums have a combined type of orientation, the table shows their main activities.