A Museum Worth Visiting, but Be Prepared for the Cost

Hello everyone!

I want to share my thoughts about an amazing museum with regular big exhibitions.

Vasiliy Polenov. “In the park. The village of Vöül in Normandy”

Silvester Shchedrin “View from Petrovsky Island in St. Petersburg”

I'll start with what I appreciate about the Hermitage and what I don't like about the Russian Museum - their exhibitions. The Hermitage has an advantage here. All exhibitions in each building are included in the ticket price. I remember going to the ARS VIVENDI exhibition at the Hermitage a while back, buying a ticket on the spot. I arrive, ask for the exhibition ticket, and they explain that I can see it with my standard entry ticket. I was really surprised because the Russian Museum charges a separate ticket for each exhibition. It's a different story, though - you can't see everything in a day. I recently visited and saw six out of seven exhibitions, spent the whole day at the Hermitage, and was literally running out the door at the end.

Bronze sculpture group by Bartolomeo Carlo Rastrelli - Anna Ioannovna with her page.

A 1747 tapestry called "The Animals at the Watering Hole" from the series "The Small Indies".

A 1764 loom called "The Battle of Poltava" made at the St. Petersburg Loom Factory.

When I visited the Russian Museum, I had to buy a separate ticket for each exhibit. The prices varied, ranging from 300 to 400 rubles for some exhibits and up to 800-1000 rubles for others. I visited two exhibits and paid around 1500 rubles. At the time, Hermitage Museum tickets cost 500 rubles. Now, if I'm not mistaken, they cost 700 rubles. I don't blame the Hermitage for raising their prices - they definitely deserve to charge 700 rubles. Plus, they have programs for different people, like families with kids or people with disabilities. They also have free admission days.

Since I can afford to buy a Hermitage ticket, I only visit on paid days, or else it's incredibly crowded.

Visiting the Russian Museum for all the current exhibits is a bit more complicated. To see everything, you'd need to shell out a pretty penny.

Firs Sergeyevich Zhuravlev ‘Before the Crown’ ‘The Merdzhellina Quay in Naples’. Svyatoslav Fedoseyevich ShchedrinThanks for tuning in, I shared my personal struggles with you

Okay, let’s move on to the actual museum.

Last time I visited with my husband was on New Year’s Eve, and they had set up Christmas trees inside the building on the grand staircase and a massive Christmas tree outside. The outdoor tree looked especially stunning.

At the time of my visit, there were two mini-exhibitions going on, and I’ve already written a review for one of them:

The ‘Holiday St. Petersburg’ exhibition at the Mikhailovsky Palace

I've shared photos of all the exhibits in my review. Since this was a tiny exhibition, there was no separate admission fee.

Vasily Polenov 'Moscow Courtyard'

Ivan Aivazovsky 'Wave'

O. A. Kiprensky 'Fortune Teller with Candle.'The treasure trove of Russian art, the Russian Museum, occupies one of the most beautiful buildings in St. Petersburg's city center - the former Grand Prince Mikhailovskiy Palace. We owe our gratitude to the architectural genius Carlo Rossi for the fact that, in the 1820s, the neoclassical ensemble appeared in the heart of the Russian capital: the palace, square, and street, all associated with the name of the youngest son of Emperor Paul I, Grand Prince Mikhail Pavlovich. The palace construction began in 1819 at the behest of Alexander I, near the Mikhailovskiy Castle, on the site of the constructions of the adjacent garden. This was convenient and close to the communication with the Winter and Anichkov palaces, Nevsky Prospect, and the possibility of having a private garden.

I've got to say, the palace takes center stage in this ensemble. It's flanked by two symmetrical service wings - the West Wing, which used to be the ladies' quarters, and the East Wing, which was the riding hall. The riding hall is lined up with the stables, and just around the corner from the stables, you'll find the laundry building. The palace grounds are pretty impressive, with a pavilion, a dock on the Moika River, and a little bridge over the ponds. The construction began on June 26th.

Alexander Ivanov Alexander Ivanov Alexander Ivanov Alexander Ivanov \"The Appearance of Christ to the People\">After the great princess Catherine Mikhailovna passed away on April 30, 1894, her heirs decided to sell the palace. It was purchased by the treasury in January 1895 at the behest of Nicholas II to set up the Russian Museum in memory of Emperor Alexander III. On April 13 (25), 1895, an imperial decree was issued by Nicholas II \"On the establishment of a special institution called the \"Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III\" and on the presentation for this purpose of the acquired palace with all its adjacent wings, services, and garden\". The museum's administrator became Grand Duke George Mikhailovich. The construction commission was headed by Professor M.P. Botkin. Architect Vasily Fedorovich Swinin was appointed as the contractor. The commission inspected the palace's rooms and recommended leaving only those details of the palace's decor that wouldn't contradict the character of the future museum exhibitions, but would highlight their expressiveness.

Aleksey Kondratovich Savrasov "Twilight over the Marshes".I have to say, this painting of Aleksey Kondratovich Savrasov's "Twilight over the Marshes" from 1871 is a real treat. The classic Russian landscape with a marshy plain, bathed in the warm red glow of the setting sun, is just stunning.

Speaking of marshes...

I wrote about my experiences with marshes in Pskov Oblast, including the "Sniff" lake.

I have to admit, I'm a fan of marshes. There's something unique about them - a mix of beauty and danger. Marshes don't forgive those who are careless or complacent. You need to approach them with respect and stay vigilant. If you've ever been to a marsh, you know what I mean. As you get closer to the edge, the ground starts to shake beneath your feet. The closer you get to the water, the more pronounced it becomes. Try standing with one foot, then swaying it back and forth - the ground around you will start to shake too. It's both mesmerizing and terrifying.

This painting is just amazing - it captures the beauty and danger of marshes so perfectly.

"У берегов Финского залива (Удриас близ Нарвы). Этюд" Иван Шишкин Иван Шишкин "Корабельная роща"Over the years, I've come to realize that Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin is one of my favorite artists. His paintings of nature are just incredible. I love how his art showcases the beauty of the natural world. Many of his paintings feature forests, and I'm obsessed with forests in all their forms – on canvas or in real life. There's something haunting and intimidating about forests, but also incredibly beautiful. We have a forest on our dacha property, and it's teeming with wildlife – wolves, deer, bears, and foxes. They even venture into the village sometimes. Recently, a pack of foxes showed up on our outdoor veranda in the evening. It was dark outside, and the village didn't have any streetlights, so the only light came from the moon. My parents were sitting on the veranda when they saw these strange shapes moving around. They thought it was cats at first, but when my dad went to shoo them away with a shovel, he realized they were actually foxes. It's not safe to let them roam free, as they can carry rabies. My dad chased them off, but not before they gave him a good scare.

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin 'The Fir' I remember a summer when a sick wolf showed up in our village. It was probably rabies or distemper, judging by its behavior and appearance. The wolf was clearly unwell, and its thin, gaunt body and matted fur only added to the evidence. You see, wolves are smart animals, and they usually steer clear of humans, especially in the summer when food is plentiful. So, it was clear that this wolf was sick. My mom was standing in the garden, surrounded by the animals, all watching the wolf as it stumbled towards them. She was armed with a collapsible stool, ready to defend the animals if needed, but my dad happened to be driving by and spotted the situation. This wasn't the first time a wolf had shown up in our village, and in such cases, the local authorities usually send out hunters to track it down. They even offer a reward for it, but it's not exactly a popular job, as it's not easy to track the wolf through the snow, and it's also a pretty hazardous task. A few winters ago, we had a similar incident, but that wolf was injured. My dad was able to track its movements by following the tracks. In cases like this, the most vulnerable animals are the dogs. Since the farm animals are kept in enclosed barns, the wolf can't get to them, but the dogs are more exposed. My dad built a small enclosure for our dog, Messi, with a mesh roof and a cozy doghouse inside. However, the wolf could easily jump over the mesh fence, so my dad is always on the lookout. That's why we have to be extra careful when walking in the forest during the winter, as you never know what you might encounter.

I'm not even talking about the neighbors, but there's one story that still haunts me. I've mentioned it in reviews before, but I'll share it again. Our neighbor on the dacha set a trap for our local cat, Kuzma. Apparently, Kuzma was causing some issues. I mean, what kind of person sets a trap for a cat? It was winter, and Kuzma went missing for a few days. When he came back, he was missing a part of his leg. As the snow started melting, Kuzma's condition worsened. I tried to find help from our friends, posted about it on social media, and even reached out to local animal welfare organizations. Luckily, my friend Vera, a saint of a person, agreed to take Kuzma to the vet. I'm still in awe of her kindness. I couldn't have afforded the treatment, and even with my cat's illness, I had to struggle to pay for her medication. I remember the first two days of treatment, I was paying out of my own pocket. The vet bills were piling up, and I was worried sick. Thankfully, my husband took over the expenses after that. To this day, I'm grateful to Vera for saving Kuzma's life. He underwent two surgeries, had an infection treated, and lost a part of his leg, but he's alive and thriving. We're all relieved that Kuzma is safe and sound with his new owners. If there's an afterlife, I'm sure Vera will be rewarded for her kindness.

But I digress. I got sidetracked from talking about the forest.

But then I get this rush of emotions when I look at Shishkin's paintings, as you might have noticed. And that's the most important thing – art's gotta leave you feeling something. Everyone's got their own emotions, but they're all strong. That's where the real truth of art lies. When you look at a painting, it grabs you, you might remember something, or come up with something new, get inspired, or get lost in your thoughts – there are plenty of options, but they're all valuable. True art leaves no one feeling indifferent.

Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin 'Forest Solitude' Take a closer look at 'Forest Solitude'. From afar, it's just a forest. But if you take a closer look, you can spot a fox that's probably hunting a bird. But the bird managed to fly away. And that's the duality of life – what's life for the bird is death and hunger for the fox.

Ivan Shishkin 'View in the Vicinity of Düsseldorf'So come check out Shishkin's paintings and see where your imagination takes you. It's a pretty fascinating experiment.

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A. Bogolyubov "The Battle of Grengam 27 July 1720"Check out this painting by Alexei Bogolyubov - it's a depiction of the Battle of Grengam on July 27, 1720.

This event marked the final major battle of the Great Northern War.

I also want to highlight this painting. What really caught my attention was its level of detail. Let me show you some close-ups of different parts of the painting - the level of detail is insane! I was blown away by the artist's unique abilities.

As you can see, this is a pretty large painting, measuring 229 x 380 cm.

It's a stunning piece. Despite the fact that the painting depicts a battle where people were killed, both the painting and reality reflect that - and the fact that taking a life is the ultimate sin. What I love about this painting is the way it blends the beauty of life with the harsh reality of death.

That phrase "Memento mori" (remember death) comes to mind when looking at this painting.

I believe life is a precious gift, and it's our responsibility to respect and cherish it.

I've noticed that the Russian Museum has an incredible collection of paintings that evoke strong emotions. Everyone has their own favorite piece that speaks to them on a deep level.

"Autumn" by Valery Yakobi.This painting is a powerful one, in my opinion. Take a closer look at the boy in the foreground – he's barefoot. Given his appearance, it's clear he's a simple peasant. That element of the painting highlights the problems of the 19th century, when this piece was created in 1865. Notice the girl in shoes. I couldn't quite make out what kind of shoes they are, but I did learn something interesting at the Botanical Museum. Peasants would typically wear out around 53 pairs of lapti per year, which were made by hand. So, it's clear that these kids come from a pretty impoverished family – the boy didn't have shoes, and that's a heartbreaking reality. This painting is just one example of the artist's early work highlighting social issues of the time.

Ilya Repin "Sadko" (1876) Now let's move on to Repin's painting, 'Sadko'. As you know, the opera 'Sadko' was written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. I've had the pleasure of visiting his summer estate in Lubensk, and it's an incredible museum!

Vechasha

The Exhibition 'What's Opera, What's Fairy Tale'

The Exhibition 'Looking at the World with Open Eyes' in Lubensk

The Exhibition 'Old-Fashioned Santa Claus'

This painting really captures the turmoil of Sadko as he descends into the underworld, and when he's shown the underwater beauties, he's somehow thinking about his earthly wife Lubava, who's positioned up top left on the painting like a ghostly apparition.

It's an incredibly effective painting, and the opera is super interesting.

a painting by Russian artist Ivan Kramskoy titled 'The Unconsolable Sorrow'

a painting by Vasily Vereshchagin

Mikhail Konstantinovich Klodt von Jurgensburg (1832–1902) 'Riverbank'

'Peasant Woman by a Broken Cart with Flax' was painted by Mikhail Konstantinovich Klodt in 1873My husband and I are walking along the ground floor, and suddenly I see my beloved Chaliapin)

\u201CPortrait of Artist F.I. Shalyapin\u201D by Konstantin KorovinI love listening to his songs on vinyl. My neighbor, a great granddad, left me a box of his records, and I've been enjoying them ever since.

The first floor is really interesting, but to be honest, I often don't have the energy to explore it. I'd love to go back and visit the first floor again, and take my time to really absorb everything.

This section has a great history of the museum from past years. It's got photos, posters, and exhibits that tell the story of the museum's life during World War II.

Check out the amazing view from the museum window: