St. Petersburg is one of the most exhibition-dense cities in Russia. In any given month, several major retrospectives, a dozen contemporary art projects and multiple photography shows run simultaneously. Here's an orientation to the main venues, with an honest note on what each is best for.
Major state museums
Hermitage (Palace Square, 2) — world-class permanent collection plus temporary shows in the General Staff building. Ticket prices depend on nationality and type of exhibition; check hermitagemuseum.org. Buy online to skip the queue.
Russian Museum (Arts Square, 4) — the definitive collection of Russian art, from medieval icons to the avant-garde. Four buildings: Mikhailovsky Palace (main), Mikhailovsky Castle, Marble Palace, Stroganov Palace. See rusmuseum.ru for prices and concessions.
Manege Central Exhibition Hall (St. Isaac's Square, 1) — large-scale thematic exhibitions, the city's biggest temporary show venue after the Hermitage. Ticket prices vary by exhibition.
Contemporary art
New Holland (Admiral Canal Embankment, 2) — an island park with outdoor and pavilion exhibitions in the warmer months. Some spaces close in November; check newholland.ru.
Lakhta Centre (Lakhtinskoye Shosse, 2) — atrium with technological art installations, free entry. Observation deck is ticketed; book in advance.
Erarta (29th Line of Vasilievsky Island, 2) — St. Petersburg's main private contemporary art museum. Permanent collection of Russian contemporary artists plus international temporary shows.
Rosphoto (Bolshaya Morskaya, 35) — dedicated photography venue with an accessible ticket price.
