The Stroganov Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia

The Russian Museum is still mid-way through an extensive restoration program for the Stroganov Palace, but a number of rooms are already open to the public and feature displays Russian Icons from the Stroganov Private Collection. The palace also houses an excellent exhibition of waxwork figures dedicated to the Romanov Dynasty (you will need separate ticket to visit the waxwork section). One of the exhibition's guides will take you around the selection of figures, recounting the history and notable events in the life of each personality. English tours can usually be organized in advance.

There are no temporary exhibitions being staged at the moment.

The History of the Palace

The palace was built for the Stroganov family between 1752 and 1754 by the Royal Architect Francesco-Bartholomeo Rastrelli, designer of the Winter Palace and Smolny Cathedral. The palace was remodeled in the early 19th century by the Russian Andrei Voronikhin (the builder of the imposing Kazan Cathedral), who was born a serf of the Stroganov family.

The Stroganovs were a very prominent noble family, many of whom became important political figures and notable art collectors. And it's true, the well-known "beef Stroganoff" dish did actually come from the family's kitchen. It was in this palace in St. Petersburg that several generations of Stroganovs socialized with the most notable artists, writers and composers of the day and accumulated an extensive art collection, which was later obtained by the Russian Museum.