The State Hermitage

About museum

One of the world's largest art and cultural-historical museums, it originated in 1764 by order of Empress Catherine II as a private collection. The museum was opened to the public in 1852 on Palace Square: five buildings on the Neva Embankment house the museum's main exhibitions. The history of the Hermitage begins with the reign of Catherine II. She and her predecessor Peter I amassed many exhibits that are now in the museum. For example, 'Scythian gold' - precious animal-shaped ornaments made for Peter I - are kept in the Golden Treasury. During the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna the collection known as the 'Mughal gold', brought on elephants, entered the Hermitage. The most substantial growth of the collection occurred under Catherine II. She continued Peter's legacy and by the late 18th century transformed the imperial collection into a full-fledged museum.