St. Petersburg, April 25, 2026 — The Russian Museum, one of the main cultural institutions of St. Petersburg, is celebrating its 131st anniversary.
On April 25, 1895, Emperor Nicholas II signed a decree establishing the "Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III."
Mikhailovsky Palace — Heart of the Museum
The choice for the museum's location fell on the Mikhailovsky Palace. Emperor Nicholas II purchased it from the heirs for 4,000,000 rubles. After three years of restoration work, the grand opening of the museum took place on March 19, 1898.
The Russian Museum During the War
With the outbreak of war, the bulk of the collection (7,500 items) was evacuated to Nizhny Novgorod, then to Perm. Thanks to the dedication of the staff, not a single exhibit was damaged.
During the siege years, the gardens of the Russian Museum became strategically important facilities. By the summer of 1942, 633 auxiliary farms had been organized there.
Main Masterpieces
Among the museum's masterpieces: "The Last Day of Pompeii" by Karl Bryullov, "Barge Haulers on the Volga" by Ilya Repin, "A Knight at the Crossroads" by Viktor Vasnetsov, "Christ and the Sinner" by Vasily Polenov, "Morning" by Mikhail Vrubel, "The Great tonsure" by Mikhail Nesterov, "Portrait of Princess Zinaida Yusupova" by Valentin Serov, "The Merchant's Wife at Tea" by Boris Kustodiev, "Black Square" by Kazimir Malevich, "Textile Workers" by Alexander Deineka.
The museum continues to develop, opening new exhibitions and adding works by contemporary artists to its collections.