Kunstkamera, Anthropology and ethnography museum in Vasileostrovsky District, Saint Petersburg, Russia
The Kunstkamera is an anthropology and ethnography museum in Saint Petersburg, housed in a baroque building with a blue and white facade and a central tower topped by a dome. The structure stands directly on the Neva River embankment and spans several floors with exhibition rooms organized by geographic regions.
Peter the Great founded the institution in 1714 as Russia's first scientific museum and commissioned a dedicated building, which was constructed between 1718 and 1734. The institution aimed to bring Western science and Enlightenment ideas to Russia and systematically collected ethnographic objects from all known continents.
The Russian name translates directly to art chamber and reflects the European tradition of cabinets of curiosity, where rulers collected rare objects from around the world. Visitors today see exhibits from Siberia, Asia and the Americas, showing how people live and work in different climates and regions.
The exhibition halls are reached by wide staircases, with individual floors dedicated to different world regions. Those who wish to climb the tower should plan extra time, as the ascent is narrow and lines can form during busy periods.
The tower houses an old observatory with original instruments from the 18th century, which was part of the Academy of Sciences at the time. From the top, visitors have a wide view over the Neva and the historic city center.
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