In the center of the northern capital on the famous Arts Square, made in a single architectural ensemble with the Russian Museum, there is an ethnographic museum. It has existed in St. Petersburg for more than a hundred years and during all this time it has been introducing everyone to the original culture of the peoples of Russia and the states adjacent to it, with their customs, way of life and peculiarities of their worldview. The expositions presented here allow you to visually see how they are similar to each other and at the same time original.
History of the museum: milestones
The Ethnographic Museum in St. Petersburg appeared in 1902, when, by decree of Nicholas II, a separate ethnographic section was created at the Russian Museum. In this case, the last Russian emperor carried out the will of his father, Alexander III, who was a great admirer of Russian folk art. At home he hadown collection, which included several dozen worthy pieces of art. In the future, by the way, all of them took their place of honor among other exhibits. The ethnographic museum in St. Petersburg became an independent museum thirty-two years later, in 1934, and from that moment on it was called the State Museum of Ethnography. In fifteen years the cultural institution will be renamed. In the summer of 1948, after the official transfer of most of the funds of the Moscow Museum dedicated to the peoples of the USSR, this museum will be called the State Museum of Ethnography of the Peoples of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. And only in 1992 will he receive his current name.
Museum Today
Today the ethnographic museum is one of the largest ethnographic museums in the world. He keeps in his fund several hundred different items on 157 numerous and small peoples of Russia, starting from the 18th century. At the same time, the volume of collected collections, fully reflecting the culture of a particular ethnic group, allows you to create independent expositions. However, due to the lack of required museum space, visitors can currently see only a small part of this rich collection.
General information about the museum
The Ethnographic Museum in St. Petersburg offers visitors exhibitions and expositions that demonstrate how diversethe culture of numerous nationalities and peoples inhabiting the territory from the B altic to the Far East. Here you can learn in detail about the structure of their life, the peculiarities of national clothes, interior items, kitchen utensils and craft tools. Currently, the museum's fund has more than five hundred thousand different copies. In the collection you can find truly unique examples of the art of lace weaving, embroidery, weaving, jewelry and wood carving. Numerous halls of the ethnographic museum are equipped with life-size residential buildings, as well as musical instruments and vehicles. The guides working here not only tell about each of these items, but also acquaint everyone with national holidays and rituals of certain peoples. They also show photos of the ethnographic museum in St. Petersburg from different times. There are quite rare footage and archival documents here.
Departments of the Ethnographic Museum
Currently, the museum presents such sections as the department of ethnography of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, a large department dedicated to the ethnography of the Russian people, a section of the ethnography of peoples living in the B altic and North-West. In addition, here you can get acquainted with the culture and life of the people of Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Volga region, Kazakhstan and the Urals. Also today there are sections devoted to the history of the peoples of the Far East and Siberia. The museum in this case appears in the imagea kind of time machine that allows everyone to touch the lifestyle of a variety of people. Here you can even learn a lot about such small peoples as, for example, the Oroks, Enets and Kets.
Location and opening hours
The official address of the ethnographic museum in St. Petersburg: Inzhenernaya street, building 4, building 1. The building in which it is located is located directly on the corner. The Ethnographic Museum together with the State Russian Museum create a single architectural complex. As for opening hours, it is open to all visitors daily (except Monday) from 10:00 to 18:00. The only exception is Tuesday. On this day, the Russian Ethnographic Museum (St. Petersburg) is open until 21:00. During official holidays, the complex closes one hour earlier.
