Russian Museum, Benois Wing

About museum

The Benois Wing was designed by architects L. N. Benois and S. O. Ovsyannikov in 1910–1912. The building was intended to host exhibitions of various artistic associations and unions. The official foundation-laying took place on June 27, 1914, but the outbreak of war halted work, and construction was only completed in 1919. In the early 1930s the building was transferred to the Russian Museum. Today it houses permanent exhibitions of art from the late 19th to the early 21st century, including works of the avant-garde, socialist realism, the severe style, nonconformists, and conceptualists. Temporary exhibitions are also held. The Benois Wing is an important place for learning about the history of art.