Things to Do at Hermitage Museum

Complete Guide to Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg

About Hermitage Museum

The Hermitage Museum occupies five buildings along the Neva River embankment, where over 3 million artworks and artifacts fill 1,500 rooms in one of the world's largest and oldest museums. Founded by Catherine the Great in 1764, the museum houses masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Picasso alongside imperial treasures from the Romanov dynasty. Walking through the gilded state rooms, you can smell the old wood and feel the creaking parquet floors beneath Persian carpets while winter light streams through tall windows overlooking the frozen Neva. General admission costs ₽500 (about $5.50) for Russian citizens and €17.95 (about $19.50) for foreign visitors, with audio guides available for an additional fee. Visit early Wednesday morning when the museum is least crowded and you can appreciate masterpieces like da Vinci's Madonna Litta without jostling through tour groups.

What to See & Do

Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna Litta

One of only a handful of Da Vinci paintings in Russia, this tender mother-and-child portrait is displayed in a surprisingly intimate setting that lets you get remarkably close to the master's brushwork

The Peacock Clock

An 18th-century mechanical masterpiece that actually still works - when wound up, the peacock spreads its tail, the rooster crows, and an owl blinks. It's delightfully whimsical amid all the serious art

Impressionist Collection

Houses one of the world's finest collections of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, including multiple Picassos, Matisses, and Monets that were once part of private Russian collections

The Jordan Staircase

The museum's grand main staircase is pure imperial drama - white marble, gold details, and soaring ceilings that make you feel like you're ascending to meet royalty

Ancient Gold Collection

Scythian gold artifacts that are absolutely stunning, though you'll need to book a separate tour to see them. The craftsmanship from over 2,000 years ago is genuinely mind-blowing

Practical Information

Opening Hours

Tuesday-Sunday 10:30am-6pm, Wednesdays until 9pm. Closed Mondays and January 1st. Worth noting that last entry is an hour before closing

Tickets & Pricing

General admission around 700-1000 rubles (roughly $10-15). You can buy tickets online in advance, which is honestly recommended during peak season. Special exhibitions and the Gold Room require separate tickets

Best Time to Visit

Wednesday evenings tend to be less crowded, and early morning right when they open gives you a brief window of relative peace. Winter months are generally quieter than summer tourist season

Suggested Duration

Plan for at least 3-4 hours for a decent overview, though you could easily spend a full day here. Most people find themselves museum-fatigued after about 4 hours, so pace yourself

Getting There

The Hermitage sits right in central St. Petersburg on Palace Square. Getting there is easy. The closest metro station is Admiralteyskaya (about a 7-minute walk), though Nevsky Prospekt station works too if you don't mind a slightly longer stroll along the city's main avenue. Taxis and ride-shares can drop you right at Palace Square. This gets pricey in traffic. If you're staying anywhere in the city center, you can probably walk-St. Petersburg's historic core is compact, and you'll enjoy seeing the city streets along the way.

Things to Do Nearby

Palace Square
The massive square right outside the museum, dominated by the Alexander Column. It's where major historical events unfolded and still hosts concerts and festivals

Nevsky Prospekt
St. Petersburg's main boulevard, perfect for people-watching, shopping, and grabbing a meal. The energy here gives you a real sense of modern Russian city life

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
About a 10-minute walk away, this incredibly ornate Orthodox church with its colorful onion domes looks like something from a fairy tale

Russian Museum
If you're not museum-ed out, this focuses specifically on Russian art and gives great context for the country's artistic traditions

Admiralty Building
The distinctive golden spire is visible from all over the city center, and the building itself is a beautiful example of Russian Empire architecture

Tips & Advice

Download the museum's official app - it's actually quite good and helps you navigate the labyrinthine layout without getting completely lost

Wear comfortable shoes with good grip; those marble floors can be surprisingly slippery, and you'll be doing a lot of walking

Photography is allowed in most areas but costs extra (around 300 rubles). Decide beforehand whether it's worth it to you

The museum shop has surprisingly nice reproductions and books, but skip the overpriced cafe inside - there are much better options just outside on Nevsky Prospekt