Zoological Museum
St Petersburg, Russia
Kunstkamera, St Petersburg
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Photo: Florstein (Telegram:WikiPhoto.Space), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 500 ₽
- Opening hours
- Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00; last entry and ticket desk 17:00
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Adult ticket
- 500 ₽ (the museum’s English page still shows an older 400 ₽)
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Reduced ticket
- 300 ₽ — students, schoolchildren and pensioners of Russia and Belarus only, with ID
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Free
- Children up to and including age 6
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Free day
- Third Thursday of the month, September–April (English page only)
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Closed
- Mondays, last Tuesday of each month, 31 Dec, 1 Jan, 9 May
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Gottorp Globe & Observatory
- Guided tour by booking only
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Entrance
- From Tamozhenny Lane, at the side of the building
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Metro
- Admiralteyskaya or Vasileostrovskaya, 15–20 min walk
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Not allowed
- Bags over 30 × 30 × 20 cm, umbrellas, coats in the halls, flash, tripods
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Accessibility
- No lifts or ramps; wheelchairs and pushchairs allowed in the halls
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
1714Peter the Great founded the Kunstkamera, Russia’s first museum
2 sourcesi
English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”Kunstkamera Chronicle, published by the museum1717Peter bought Frederik Ruysch’s anatomical collection in Amsterdam — over 2,000 specimens
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English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”Izvestia, 25 April 20251719the collections first opened to the public, in the Kikin Hall
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RIA Novosti, Kunstkamera background noteWikipedia, “Kikin Hall”1718–1734construction of the building on Vasilyevsky Island
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Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”RIA NovostiGeorg Mattarnovyfirst architect; Gerbel, Chiaveri and Zemtsov finished the building
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English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”Petrine Baroquethe style of the building and its observatory tower
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English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”1713Peter acquired the Gottorp Globe, an early star of the collection
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English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”5 Dec 1747a fire destroyed the tower, the observatory and the interiors
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English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”Lomonosovworked in the building; a museum to him is in the tower
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English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”official museum website1879the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography was founded
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English and Russian Wikipedia, “Kunstkamera”Kunstkamera tickets and prices
An adult ticket is 500 ₽. The 300 ₽ reduced ticket is only for students, schoolchildren and pensioners of Russia and Belarus, so most foreign visitors pay the full price. Children up to and including age 6 go free. The museum’s Russian ticket page lists these prices; its English page still shows an older 400 ₽.
Tickets are sold for timed sessions on the museum’s official website and at the desk by the entrance. Paying as a foreign visitor: Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad have not worked in Russia since March 2022, so online booking is realistic only with a Russian card. Otherwise queue at the desk on the day with roubles or a Russian payment option.
The Gottorp Globe and the First Astronomical Observatory in the tower are not included in a standard ticket — you see them only on a booked guided tour. The museum’s own tours in a foreign language start at 6,500 ₽ for up to four people.
The English page also mentions free entry on the third Thursday of the month from September to April. The Russian list of free admissions doesn’t, so check before planning around it.
Is the Kunstkamera worth visiting?
Yes, if you like odd museums. For 500 ₽ you get Russia’s first museum in a Baroque building on the Neva, Peter the Great’s famous jars of preserved specimens, and rooms full of samurai armour, Native American feather headdresses and African masks.
Go in with the right expectations. This is mainly an ethnography museum — most halls are about peoples of the world. Since 2022 most of the anatomical “freaks” have been taken out of the main hall; the best of Ruysch’s specimens remain in one cabinet. If those jars are your only reason to go, you may feel short-changed.
If you have just one day in St Petersburg, spend it at the Hermitage. The Kunstkamera is the perfect second museum: it is right across the river, compact, and quite unlike anything else in the city.
What to see inside
- Peter the Great’s Kunstkamera — the round central hall with the tsar’s first collections: Ruysch’s anatomical specimens and natural curiosities.
- Japan, China, Korea and Mongolia — samurai armour, theatre masks, porcelain and Buddhist sculpture.
- North America — feather headdresses, Alaskan kayaks and clothing made from hides.
- Africa, Latin America, Indochina, South Asia and the Middle East — weapons, costumes and ritual objects.
- Multinational Russia — the Imperial Hall, which replaced the old displays of anomalies in 2022.
- Lomonosov Museum — the study and instruments of Russia’s great 18th-century scientist, who worked here.
- The tower — the First Astronomical Observatory and the Gottorp Globe, a giant globe you can sit inside to watch a starry sky; guided tour only.
Opening hours and the best time to go
The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, but the ticket desk and entry close at 17:00. It is shut on Mondays, the last Tuesday of the month, 31 December, 1 January and 9 May. During Russian school holidays it sometimes opens without days off — the official site posts those schedules.
Arrive at 10:00 or after 15:00. The halls are small, and around midday tour groups fill the anatomical room. In summer the queue for the ticket desk can stretch outside.
Coats must go to the cloakroom, and so must umbrellas and bags bigger than 30 × 30 × 20 cm. Photos are allowed everywhere without flash or a tripod. There are no lifts or ramps, which matters if stairs are a problem.
How to get to the Kunstkamera
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
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
- Zoological Museum is about 2 min away on foot.
- Palace Bridge and the bridge openings is about 10 min away on foot.
- State Hermitage Museum is about 14 min away on foot.
More tips
- The easy way: from Palace Square walk across the Palace Bridge — about 1 km, 12–15 minutes. Turn left after the bridge; the Kunstkamera is the first building on the embankment, turquoise with a tower.
- Nearest metro: Admiralteyskaya (Line 5, purple) or Vasileostrovskaya (Line 3, green), each 15–20 minutes on foot. From Admiralteyskaya, head to Palace Square and over the bridge.
- From Nevsky Prospekt station (Line 2, blue), walk down Nevsky Prospect to Palace Square and across the bridge — about 25 minutes.
- The visitor entrance is round the side, from Tamozhenny Lane, not on the river front. The courtyard is open 8:00–20:00.
- Any bus or trolleybus crossing the Palace Bridge stops on Universitetskaya Embankment by the museum.
- In summer, river boats call at a pier right by the Kunstkamera.
Before you go: checklist
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Kunstkamera vs Zoological Museum vs Hermitage
| Kunstkamerayou are here | World ethnography and Peter’s anatomy collection | Universitetskaya Emb. 3 | Yes, except the anatomy hall | 1.5–2 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoological Museum | Stuffed animals, skeletons, mammoths | Next door, same embankment | Yes — the best pick | 1–1.5 h |
| Hermitage | Art and palace interiors | Across the Palace Bridge | Hard beyond 2 hours | 3 h or more |
With children, YesGo suggests the Zoological Museum next door, then just the ethnography halls of the Kunstkamera. With one day in town, the Hermitage comes first, and the Kunstkamera is the bonus if you still have energy.
St Petersburg’s historic sights compared
Every historic place in St Petersburg rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| State Hermitage Museum | 76 | 3 h | 500–1,200 ₽ | 9 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood | 75 | 45 min | 700 ₽, under 7 free | 24 min walk |
| Peter and Paul Fortress | 74 | 2 h | Grounds free, cathedral 1,000 ₽ | 20 min walk |
| Kazan Cathedral | 72 | 30 min | Free | 24 min walk |
| Bronze Horseman | 72 | 20 min | Free | 10 min walk |
| Palace Square | 71 | 30 min | Free | 12 min walk |
| St Isaac's Cathedral | 69 | 1 h | 700 ₽, colonnade 700 ₽ | 15 min walk |
| Cruiser Aurora | 67 | 1 h | 1,000 ₽ for foreign visitors | 42 min walk |
| Nevsky Prospekt | 65 | 1 h 30 min | Free | 14 min walk |
| Mikhailovsky Castle | 54 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ 700 ₽ | 32 min walk |
| Kunstkamerayou are here | 50 | 1 h 30 min | 500 ₽ | — |
| Peterhof | 50 | 4 h | Lower Park from 2,000 ₽ for foreign visitors | 22.8 km |
| Kronstadt | 49 | 4 h | Free | 29.8 km |
| New Holland Island | 48 | 1 h | Free | 28 min walk |
| Alexander Nevsky Lavra | 48 | 1 h | Free | 5.2 km |
| Griboyedov Canal | 48 | 30 min | Free | 26 min walk |
| Yusupov Palace on the Moika | 47 | 1 h 30 min | from 950 ₽ | 24 min walk |
| Mariinsky Theatre | 46 | 3 h | Price depends on the show | 32 min walk |
| Summer Garden | 46 | 1 h | Free | 31 min walk |
| State Russian Museum | 44 | 2 h 30 min | from 700 ₽ | 27 min walk |
| Catherine Palace | 37 | 3 h | 2,200 ₽ for foreign visitors | 25.6 km |
| Fabergé Museum | 36 | 1 h 30 min | 700 ₽ | 39 min walk |
| Zoological Museum | 36 | 1 h 30 min | 700 ₽ | 3 min walk |
| Oranienbaum | 28 | 3 h | Park 1,100 ₽, palace 1,800 ₽ | 30.9 km |
| Pavlovsk Palace and Park | 20 | 3 h | Palace 800 ₽, park 300 ₽ | 29.6 km |
The Hermitage, the Spit and the Kunstkamera in a day
Morning at the Hermitage, cross the Palace Bridge, then the Kunstkamera and the Zoological Museum on the same embankment, and the Peter and Paul Fortress over the Birzhevoy Bridge to finish. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.
- State Hermitage Museum3 h · 500–1,200 ₽
- 5 min walk from the previous stopPalace Bridge and the bridge openings45 min · Free from the embankment
- 4 min walk from the previous stopKunstkamerayou are here1 h 30 min · 500 ₽
- 3 min walk from the previous stopZoological Museum1 h 30 min · 700 ₽
- 18 min walk from the previous stopPeter and Paul Fortress2 h · Grounds free, cathedral 1,000 ₽
5 places · about 9 h 15 min with walks · 30 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
Palace Bridge and the bridge openings
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State Hermitage Museum
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Bronze Horseman
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How to do it right
- Be there at 10:00 opening to have the anatomy hall to yourself before the groups arrive.
- 1.5 hours covers the main halls; add 45 minutes for the Lomonosov Museum and a tower tour.
- Never plan it for the last Tuesday of the month — the museum is closed for cleaning.
- The Zoological Museum is two minutes away — easy to combine.
- Afterwards, walk to the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island for the view of the Peter and Paul Fortress and the Hermitage.
- Take a guided tour if you want the story: without it, the jars of specimens just look strange.
Questions
How much is a Kunstkamera ticket?
500 ₽ for adults. The 300 ₽ reduced rate is only for students, schoolchildren and pensioners of Russia and Belarus; children up to age 6 go free.
What are the Kunstkamera opening hours?
Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with last entry and ticket sales at 17:00. Closed on Mondays, the last Tuesday of every month, 31 December, 1 January and 9 May.
Is the Kunstkamera open on Monday?
No. It is closed every Monday and also on the last Tuesday of each month.
Can I buy Kunstkamera tickets online as a foreigner?
The official site sells timed tickets, but foreign Visa and Mastercard cards don’t work in Russia. Without a Russian card, buy at the desk on the day and come early to avoid the queue.
Is the Kunstkamera suitable for children?
Mostly, yes — the ethnography halls are fine for kids and under-7s go free. The anatomy hall with preserved specimens is upsetting for some children; you can skip it.
How long do you need at the Kunstkamera?
About 1.5–2 hours for the main halls, 2–2.5 hours with a guided tour of the tower and the Gottorp Globe.
How do I get to the Kunstkamera by metro?
Take Line 5 to Admiralteyskaya, walk to Palace Square and cross the Palace Bridge — 15–20 minutes. Vasileostrovskaya on Line 3 is a similar walk.
Where is the Kunstkamera entrance?
At the side of the building, from Tamozhenny Lane — not on the river front at Universitetskaya Embankment 3.
Are the deformed specimens still on display?
Fewer than before. Since 2022 most of the anomalies have been moved out of the main hall; the best of Ruysch’s specimens are still shown in a dedicated cabinet.
Can you take photos in the Kunstkamera?
Yes, everywhere, as long as you don’t use flash, a tripod or extra lighting.
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 Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera): opening hours, tickets and services, free admission, visitor rules, exhibitions, 29.10.2026
- English and Russian Wikipedia: Kunstkamera; Wikidata Q1277585
- RIA Novosti: background note on the Kunstkamera, Russia’s first public museum
- Izvestia, 25 April 2025: on the Kunstkamera’s anatomical collection
- Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022
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