Installation is under way at the Hermitage General Staff: "Rome – Petersburg. On the dissimilarity of the similar. Photographs by Dmitry Sirotkin. In memory of Arkady Ippolitov" opens on 14 November 2026. A photo show on how two cities resemble and resist each other.
What is on show
Four facts: the venue is the State Hermitage's General Staff, the photographs are Dmitry Sirotkin's, the show honours Arkady Ippolitov, and the subject is what Petersburg and Rome share — and where they part. No list of works: expect a reflection, not a postcard set.
For a visitor, that means seeing the city from outside — familiar facades start to read as arguments in a long comparison. Bring that eye to the street afterwards: the comparison continues as long as you keep walking.
Author, Wikimedia Commons
When to go and what it costs
No prices or hours: check the Hermitage site, since temporary shows may have their own entry rules. Allow a real slot, not a dash, and put the outdoor route into daylight — November afternoons are short, and the halls work well once the light outside is gone.
Author, Wikimedia Commons
Planning the day around Palace Square
The General Staff stands by Palace Square, so the show joins a walking day with no cross-town transfer: square, Nevsky Prospekt, embankments, back. Morning on the square in daylight, then the show, then an unhurried evening. In bad weather, flip it. Keep the day loose — a second museum rarely appeals after photographs.
Author, Wikimedia Commons
