Scientific-research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts, Art research museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Musée de l'académie des beaux-arts is an art museum in Saint Petersburg housed within the historic building of the Imperial Academy of Arts, displaying paintings, sculptures, prints, and archive materials. The building faces the Neva River and its neoclassical facade is one of the most recognizable along the waterfront.
The Imperial Academy of Arts was founded in 1757 on the initiative of Count Ivan Shuvalov and scientist Mikhail Lomonosov to develop art education in Russia. The current building was constructed in the second half of the 18th century and has served as the home of Russian art teaching ever since.
The galleries display works made by students and teachers of the Academy across several centuries, from paintings to sculptures and drawings. Walking through the rooms, visitors can follow how Russian art shifted from baroque influences toward the realist style of the 19th century.
The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, with longer hours on Thursday. It is worth checking the current visiting conditions before you go, as access may change depending on the time of year.
The museum holds original architectural drawings and plaster models from the 18th century showing how some of the city's most recognized buildings were designed. These plans are among the very few surviving records of the process behind the city's construction.
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