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State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

The Winter Palace seen across the Neva: the Hermitage’s turquoise façade along the Palace Embankment
Photo: Florstein (Telegram:WikiPhoto.Space), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Ticket desks
Close one hour before the museum; same-day tickets only
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Hours
Tue, Fri, Sat 11:00–20:00; Wed, Thu, Sun 11:00–18:00; closed Mondays, 1 January and 9 May; ticket desks close an hour before the museum
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
3 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Tue, Fri, Sat
11:00–20:00
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Wed, Thu, Sun
11:00–18:00
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Closed
Mondays, 1 January and 9 May
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Daytime ticket (11:00–16:00 slots)
1,200 ₽ — trial pricing since 14 July 2026
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
After 16:00
700 ₽
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Tue, Fri, Sat from 18:00
500 ₽
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
General Staff Building (Impressionists)
Separate ticket, daytime at the old flat price
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Children under 14
Free every day; under-12s must come with a ticketed adult
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Free for everyone
7 Jan, 23 Feb, 8 Mar, 12 Apr, 18 May, 5 Oct, 4 Nov, 7 Dec
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Online tickets
Official website only, 1–4 weeks ahead, timed entry
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Entrance
Right-hand side of the main arch into the Winter Palace’s Great Courtyard, from Palace Square
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Metro
Admiralteyskaya 700 m, Nevsky Prospekt 900 m, Gostiny Dvor 1.3 km
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
59.94056, 30.31361YesGo MapGoogleAppleYandex

Key facts

1764Catherine the Great buys a Berlin merchant’s paintings — the museum’s founding year
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, “Hermitage Museum”
3 million+items in the collection; only a small share is on display
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, “Hermitage Museum”
1754–1762Bartolomeo Rastrelli builds the Winter Palace for Empress Elizabeth
2 sourcesRussian Wikipedia, “Winter Palace”English Wikipedia, “Winter Palace”
5 buildingsin the main complex: Winter Palace, Small, Old (Large) and New Hermitage, Hermitage Theatre
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, “Hermitage Museum”
1852the New Hermitage opens to the public — Russia’s first public art museum
SourceEnglish Wikipedia, “Hermitage Museum” and “Winter Palace”
No. 540UNESCO World Heritage, as part of the Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg, since 1990
2 sourcesUNESCO World Heritage ListRussian Wikipedia
2 Leonardosthe Benois Madonna and the Madonna Litta
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, “Hermitage Museum”
117staircases in the Winter Palace, hidden ones included
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia, “Winter Palace”Russian Wikipedia, “Winter Palace”
1837a fire guts the Winter Palace; the interiors are rebuilt within about two years
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, “Winter Palace”
10 Atlantesin grey granite hold up the New Hermitage portico on Millionnaya Street
2 sourcesRussian Wikipedia, “New Hermitage”Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia, “Terebenev”
332 portraitsof the generals of 1812 by George Dawe line the Military Gallery
SourceEnglish Wikipedia, “Winter Palace”

Hermitage tickets and prices

Since 14 July 2026 the museum has been trialling time-based pricing for the main complex. Entry slots from 11:00 to 16:00 cost 1,200 ₽, after 16:00 700 ₽, and on the late nights — Tuesday, Friday and Saturday — 500 ₽ from 18:00. Your stay isn’t limited: a morning ticket lets you stay until closing.

The museum says up to 80% of visitors arrive between 11:00 and 16:00, and the cheaper evening slots are meant to spread the crowd. It hasn’t said how long the trial will run, so check the price on the official site before you buy.

The General Staff Building, across Palace Square, needs its own ticket and stays at the old flat price in the daytime. That’s where the Impressionists and Matisse hang — not in the Winter Palace.

Paying as a foreign visitor: Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad have not worked in Russia since March 2022, so the online shop is only usable with a Russian card. Otherwise buy at the ticket desks or terminals on the day, and bring roubles or a Russian payment option.

How to buy tickets (and skip the line)

Online tickets are sold only on the museum’s own website, hermitagemuseum.org, 1–4 weeks ahead. With an e-ticket you skip the ticket desk and go straight to the entrance printed on it. Entry is by timed slot: arrive 15 minutes early; you can still get in up to an hour after your slot starts.

The desks and terminals inside the courtyard sell same-day tickets only and stop an hour before closing. In summer and on free days the desk queue can be long, so an e-ticket — or an evening slot — saves real time.

Avoid street touts and look-alike websites: they resell the same tickets at a mark-up.

How to get to the Hermitage

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on footdestinationStreet view

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We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

More tips

  1. Take the metro to Admiralteyskaya (Line 5, purple) — 700 m, about 10 minutes on foot along Malaya Morskaya Street to Palace Square.
  2. Or ride to Nevsky Prospekt (Line 2, blue) or Gostiny Dvor (Line 3, green) — 900 m and 1.3 km, 12–18 minutes’ walk down Nevsky Prospect towards the Admiralty spire.
  3. Walk through the General Staff arch onto Palace Square — the Winter Palace is straight ahead.
  4. Go in through the right-hand side of the main arch into the Great Courtyard; the left-hand side is the exit. Ticket desks and terminals are in the courtyard.
  5. Palace Square is pedestrian-only, so you can’t drive up to the door — the metro or a taxi to the square is easiest.

Is the Hermitage worth visiting?

Yes — on a first trip it is the one museum in St Petersburg not to skip. Nowhere else will you walk through a working imperial palace, gilded staircase and throne room included, and then stand in front of Leonardo and Rembrandt in the same afternoon.

It isn’t for everyone at every pace, though. The complex is huge, the summer crowds in the State Rooms are dense, and trying to see it all ends in exhaustion. Go with a short list, or pick an evening slot when it’s calmer and cheaper.

If you only care about Russian art, the Russian Museum is the better fit; if you want palace interiors with a park, see Catherine Palace.

What to see on a first visit

  • The Jordan Staircase — Rastrelli’s white-and-gold ceremonial staircase, where most routes begin.
  • The State Rooms — the Field Marshals’ Hall, the Armorial Hall, St George’s Throne Hall and the 1812 Military Gallery with its 332 generals.
  • The Malachite Room, finished in Ural malachite after the 1837 fire.
  • The Pavilion Hall in the Small Hermitage, home of James Cox’s 18th-century Peacock Clock.
  • Leonardo da Vinci — the Benois Madonna and the Madonna Litta, in the Old Hermitage.
  • The Raphael Loggias, a copy of the Vatican gallery commissioned by Catherine the Great.
  • Rembrandt — The Return of the Prodigal Son and Danaë, in the New Hermitage.
  • The Egyptian Hall, with its mummy and sarcophagi — a hit with kids.
  • The General Staff Building, 4th floor — Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne and Matisse (separate ticket, separate building).
  • The Gold and Diamond Rooms — by museum guided tour only, on their own ticket.

How long do you need?

Plan on about three hours for a first visit: enough for the State Rooms, the Leonardos, Rembrandt and the Pavilion Hall. Nobody sees the whole collection in a day, and there’s no point trying.

The Impressionists in the General Staff Building take another 1.5–2 hours. Doing both buildings in one go is hard work — YesGo suggests splitting them over two days. Download the floor plan from the official site beforehand; without one, people lose an hour in halls they never meant to see.

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Hermitage vs Russian Museum vs Catherine Palace

Hermitageyou are hereWorld art inside an imperial palacePalace Square, city centreEvery first-time visitor3 h for a first visit
Russian MuseumRussian art from icons to the avant-gardeMikhailovsky Palace, city centreFans of Russian painting2–3 h
Catherine PalacePalace with the Amber Room in Tsarskoye SeloPushkin town, outside the cityPalace-and-park loversHalf a day with travel

On a first trip, do the Hermitage first — nowhere else in the city puts imperial interiors and great paintings under one roof. The Russian Museum and Catherine Palace fit day two and three.

St Petersburg palaces compared

Every palace in St Petersburg rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

State Hermitage Museumyou are here763 h500–1,200 ₽—
Mikhailovsky Castle541 h 30 min≈ 700 ₽23 min walk
Peterhof504 hLower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors23.3 km
Yusupov Palace on the Moika471 h 30 minfrom 950 ₽26 min walk
State Russian Museum442 h 30 minfrom 700 ₽18 min walk
Catherine Palace373 h2,200 ₽ for foreign visitors25.4 km
Fabergé Museum361 h 30 min700 ₽30 min walk
Yelagin Island361 h 30 minFree weekdays, 200 ₽ at weekends5.3 km
Oranienbaum283 hPark 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽31.4 km
Pavlovsk Palace and Park203 hPalace 800 ₽, park 300 ₽29.4 km

The Hermitage and the embankments in a day

Start on Palace Square, spend the morning in the Hermitage, then cross Palace Bridge to Vasilyevsky Island and the Kunstkamera. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Palace Square30 min · Free
  2. 4 min walk from the previous stopState Hermitage Museumyou are here3 h · 500–1,200 ₽
  3. 5 min walk from the previous stopPalace Bridge and the bridge openings45 min · Free from the embankment
  4. 4 min walk from the previous stopKunstkamera1 h 30 min · 500 ₽

4 places · about 5 h 58 min with walks · 13 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Palace Square

St Petersburg, Russia

30 min · Free · 4 min walk

Nevsky Prospekt

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1 h 30 min · Free · 8 min walk

Zoological Museum

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1 h 30 min · 700 ₽ · 9 min walk

How to do it right

  • The calmest rooms are on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings — and the ticket is cheapest then.
  • Do the Jordan Staircase and the State Rooms first, while you still have energy; leave the paintings for the second half.
  • Skip the desk queue with an e-ticket from the official site, if you have a Russian card.
  • Free days, especially 7 December, bring the longest queues of the year — don’t plan a quick visit then.
  • After the museum, cross Palace Bridge — the whole palace front opens up from Vasilyevsky Island.
  • A guided tour pays off here: there are so many rooms that it’s easy to walk past the highlights.

Questions

How much is a ticket to the Hermitage?

Under the trial pricing introduced on 14 July 2026: 1,200 ₽ for slots from 11:00 to 16:00, 700 ₽ after 16:00, and 500 ₽ from 18:00 on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Check the official site, as the trial’s end date hasn’t been announced.

What are the Hermitage opening hours?

Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 11:00–20:00; Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 11:00–18:00. Ticket desks close an hour before the museum.

Is the Hermitage open on Monday?

No. It closes every Monday, as well as on 1 January and 9 May.

How do I buy Hermitage tickets online?

Only on the museum’s official website, 1–4 weeks ahead. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards don’t work in Russia, so without a Russian card, buy at the desk on the day.

Where is the Hermitage entrance?

On Palace Square: walk through the right-hand side of the Winter Palace’s main arch into the Great Courtyard. The left-hand side is the exit.

Which metro station is closest to the Hermitage?

Admiralteyskaya on Line 5, about 700 m or a 10-minute walk. Nevsky Prospekt (Line 2) is 900 m away.

How long should I spend at the Hermitage?

About three hours for a first visit. Add 1.5–2 hours for the Impressionists in the General Staff Building, ideally on another day.

Is the Winter Palace the same as the Hermitage?

The Winter Palace is the largest of the five buildings that make up the Hermitage’s main complex. The others are the Small, Old and New Hermitage and the Hermitage Theatre.

When is the Hermitage free?

For everyone on 7 January, 23 February, 8 March, 12 April, 18 May, 5 October, 4 November and 7 December. Children under 14 go free every day.

Where are the Impressionists in the Hermitage?

On the fourth floor of the General Staff Building, across Palace Square from the Winter Palace. It needs a separate ticket.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Official website of the State Hermitage Museum: visiting information, Main Museum Complex, General Staff Building, 29.10.2026
  • State Hermitage official blog on the new time-based ticket system from 14 July 2026
  • Delovoy Peterburg, 08.07.2026; Vokrug Sveta; T—Zh — reports on slot prices
  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Hermitage Museum, Winter Palace, New Hermitage; Wikidata Q132783
  • UNESCO World Heritage List: Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments, No. 540, 1990
  • Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 29.10.2026 ·
How we checkedOpening hours, closures, free days, concessions, ticket rules, the entrance and metro distances come from the official Hermitage website. We couldn’t read the slot prices (1,200, 700 and 500 ₽) on an official price page: the museum’s blog confirms the trial from 14 July 2026 and evening prices “1.7–2.4 times lower”, and the figures match across Delovoy Peterburg, Vokrug Sveta and T—Zh. The museum hasn’t given an end date, so these rows are marked “verifying”. No source gives a separate price for foreign visitors; the General Staff price is described only as “the old flat price”. Sources disagree on the number of rooms in the Winter Palace (1,084 vs about 1,500), so we leave it out. Guided-tour-only access to the treasure rooms comes from tour operators. Walking times are our estimate from the museum’s distances.

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