This museum is one of a kind.
Most of the time, we think of religious people visiting churches.
That's where the religious center is, where all the attributes are.
But visiting churches only gives you a glimpse into one specific religion, and it's more geared towards the faithful.
For someone like me, faith is a source of comfort, guidance in life, but for a museum, it's a phenomenon that's studied from a scientific perspective.
So, if you want to learn about different religious movements under one roof, welcome to the Museum of the History of Religion.
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State Museum of the History of Religion review
The museum is right in the city center, a 10-minute walk from St. Isaac's Cathedral.
And the museum building itself is a piece of architectural history that's completely accessible to the public.
You just need to buy a ticket.
Pochtamtaya, 14 lit A / Pochtamt Street, 5
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As for the ticket price, a standard adult ticket without any discounts for the main exhibit costs 400 rubles.
I think that's a bargain.
Of course, like any state museum, there are discounts for certain groups, and you can also pay with a Pushkin card or a Silver Age card.
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I visited the museum on a weekday, and there weren't many visitors.
This museum positions itself as a scientific museum that studies religion.
Here, there's no propaganda for the idea that one religion is better than another.
No one's going to try to sway you to anything.
Just the exhibits and just the facts.
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It's hard to believe, but here under one roof, you can see attributes from completely different religions living in harmony.
I found the exhibits on the beliefs of African and Polynesian cultures, and others from far-flung regions, absolutely fascinating.
For a modern person, some of these items might seem strange.
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But in this part of the museum, you'll be doing a lot of reading.
There are no descriptions of the exhibits, and if you want to learn something, you'll need to grab a booklet with a printout from a special pocket.
Just don't forget to return it.
The audio guide is really useful here, but it's best to download it before you enter the museum.
State Museum of the History of Religion reviewVisiting this museum also gives you a chance to learn about the beliefs of various Russian peoples.
State Museum of the History of Religion reviewSchool kids will probably find the ancient world religion exhibit interesting.
You can already see back then that despite the different names of gods, the religions of different peoples are quite similar.
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Of course, a significant portion of the exhibit is dedicated to Christianity.
It's presented from the Baptism of Rus' to the present day.
I'm not surprised, given that our country has traditionally been predominantly Orthodox, so you can find a lot more exhibits on this topic than on the beliefs of some small nation.
State Museum of the History of Religion reviewIf you think about it, the museum was originally anti-religious.
I think that's why we can see some really interesting exhibits.
Religious themes aren't just on icons, but also in the art of the time.
It's interesting that they've collected a pretty large collection on this topic.
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I was particularly impressed by the exhibition dedicated to other Christian denominations.
The same goes for Protestantism.
And what always blows me away is the Christian artifacts from Ethiopia.
State Museum of the History of Religion ReviewOf course, people interpret biblical stories in different ways.
And this museum really drives that point home.
The exhibition on Catholicism is equally impressive.
State Museum of the History of Religion ReviewMany of the exhibits were brought in from abroad, which makes them all the more remarkable.
The exhibits on Eastern religions – Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shintoism – are also well-represented.
Every exhibit looks fascinating and unusual.
I find them aesthetically pleasing, and I could stare at them for hours.
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The room that mimics a temple really blew me away.
I felt like I was fully immersed in the experience!
State Museum of the History of Religion ReviewWith my ticket, I was able to head up to the top floor, which has an exhibit all about Buddhism.
Unfortunately, it didn't really impress me.
But you can take the elevator up.
State Museum of the History of Religion ReviewOr, you know, you could just take the stairs and enjoy the view from the windows - it's a pretty typical cityscape. State Museum of the History of Religion reviewBut the basement ended up being way more interesting than I expected.
To get there, you have to walk through the exhibit on the first floor and then take the elevator down.
The vaulted ceilings in the basement are pretty cool.
State Museum of the History of Religion review 2025The ceiling is really low, which gives you a claustrophobic feeling like you're trapped in a small space.
It's not super pleasant, but it's atmospheric.
Like a claustrophobia-themed escape room. There's a staircase somewhere, but for visitors, the elevator is the only way down.
There's also an exhibit space down here, and they host various exhibitions.
State Museum of the History of Religion reviewI was really glad that the museum was open until 8 PM on the day I visited.
Because not every museum lets you spend three hours there.
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The museum really stands out for its diverse exhibits on different religions.
I also want to give a special shoutout to the museum staff here - they're super friendly and helpful.
They always point you in the right direction and tell you what's interesting to see. It's nice to have that kind of support.
You can learn about the traditions of all the world's religions, see religious artifacts, and discover new things.
Plus, you can see how religion has influenced art and understand its role in people's lives.
And it's all in one place.