Known as the ‘museum of art and culture’, housing about 3 million pieces in its collections, the State Hermitage Museum complex, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, is one of the largest in the world.
Spread over ten buildings, collections at the Hermitage Museum include Western European art from over the 13th to 20th centuries, Egyptian artifacts, classical works, and even prehistoric works of art. The exhibits include some of the items of great historical significance such as emperor Shah Jahan’s ceremonial ring used in archery and works of Rembrandt, Leonardo, and Michelangelo, etc.
Bartolomeo Rastrelli constructed the Winter Palace in 1700-1771. The construction of the palace was initiated by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. The Winter Palace is one of the buildings in which the Hermitage collection is now displayed. In 1764, Empress Catherine II bought Johann Ernest Gostkowski’s collection. It is believed to be the first collection of the Museum. In 1764, the construction of the Hermitage museum began and it was completed in 1775.
Following the fire that broke out in 1837, the state halls of the Winter Palace underwent renovation in 1840. Vasily Stasov performed the work of reconstruction.
The museum houses the following items:
- Paintings, Prints, and Drawings
- Furniture and Carriages
- Applied Arts
- Textiles
- Machinery and Mechanisms
- Arms and Armour
- Ceramics and Porcelain
- Jewellery
- Numismatics and Glyptics
- Archaeological artefacts
- Costumes
- Sculpture
You can also have a preview of the digital collection of the museum online.
Since 1990, Mikhail Piotrovsky is the director of the museum. The State Hermitage Museum comprises of six historic buildings viz., Museum of Porcelain, Winter Palace, the Menshikov Palace, Storage Facility at Staraya Derevnya and lastly, the eastern wing of the General Staff Building.
State Hermitage Museum Map
Facts about State Hermitage Museum
- Opened to the public in 1852, the State Hermitage Museum is one of the oldest museums in the world.
- In 1865, the museum purchased Leonardo da Vinci’s Madonna and Child (Litta Madonna).
- In 1917, both the Winter Palace and the Hermitage were designated as state museums.
Where is State Hermitage Museum?
State Hermitage Museum is located in the Palace Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The city of Saint Petersburg is the northernmost city in the world with over 1 million inhabitants and is considered Russia’s westernmost city. The museum is well connected by means of transportation. The airport is located at a distance of 26 km. You can choose to travel in a cab, bus or trolley. Even the metro trains from Admiralteyskaya, Nevsky Prospekt, and Gostiny Dvor connect to the Dvortsovaya Square.
Best time to visit State Hermitage Museum
June is high tourist season with nearly 24 hours of daylight and the White Nights festivals. Autumn is the best time of year to visit the city of Saint Petersburg, with fewer tourists and better weather. The Hermitage experiences its lowest amount of tourists (and shorter lines) during winter, though the city itself can get very cold. New Year is a huge celebration in the nation.
The Hermitage experiences its lowest amount of tourists (and shorter lines) during winter, though the city itself can get very cold. New Years is a huge celebration in the nation.
State Hermitage Museum Hours
The main museum complex opens on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. On Wednesdays, the museum opens from 10:30 to 9:00 pm.
State Hermitage Museum Tickets
Tickets can be bought both at the ticket booth and online. For online bookings, a one-day simple entrance ticket costs USD 17.95 and a two-day combined entrance ticket costs USD 25.95. Follow the link to book tickets online.
More about State Hermitage Museum
Nearby attractions: Church of the Saviour, Peter and Paul Fortress and Theban Sphinxes
Related: Top 20 Museums Of the World
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