 Location: Saint Petersburg
Universitetskaya emb., 3
Open: Tue - Sun from 11a.m. to 4:30p.m.
The building of the Kunstkammer (The Chamber of Curiosities) was designed for the library and the oldest Russian museum founded by Peter I in 1714 and based on his private collections brought from his European travels. Originally the museum was housed in Kikin's Chambers. Later the Kunstkammer moved into a building especially designed for it.
The story of the construction was rather complicated. It involved many outstanding architects of the 18th century (M.Zemtsov, G.Mattamovi, N.Herbel, G.Chiaveri; rebuilt in 1754 - 58, architect S.Chevakirisky). The building consists of two three-story wings designed in Baroque style and joined into a single whole by the central volume topped with a multi-tier tower. One of the wings housed a library, the other one held the museum collections. The central part housed an anatomical theatre. The tower accommodated the first Russian observatory.
Owing to its size and the tall tower the Kunstkammer building plays a major part in the ensemble of the city center. It houses the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnograthy, Lomonosov's Memorial Museum, the Institute of Ethnology and Ethnic Anthropology.
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Culture and Art 