Chelyabinsk Museum of Fine Arts (Art Gallery)

About museum

The Museum of Fine Arts in Chelyabinsk is located on two sites in the historic and administrative center of the city. In 1951, the premises of the former Yaushev Brothers' Passage were allocated to the museum. This building is a rare example of Art Nouveau architecture for the Southern Ural region; it was built in 1911–1913 at the commission of the merchant Yaushev family. At that time they operated a network of shops and businesses in Russia and Europe. The passage was equipped with steam heating, elevators, and a standalone electrical installation powered by an oil engine. Throughout the 19th–20th centuries it was the largest urban building. The historic decoration, glazed tiles, and other interior details have been preserved on the façade and inside the building. The Yaushev Passage has federal significance and is a cultural heritage site. It now houses the Picture Gallery with exhibitions of Old Russian, classical Russian and Western European art, as well as Russian porcelain.