Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Karelia

About museum

The Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Karelia was founded in 1960 and is located in the historic center of Petrozavodsk on the former Sobornaya Square (now Kirov Square). The museum building is an 18th-century architectural monument.

The museum's collection comprises more than 16,000 works.
Here you can see Old Russian painting from Karelia (15th–19th centuries), Russian art of the 18th–early 20th centuries, 20th-century domestic art, Western European art, as well as examples of decorative and applied arts. More than 10 temporary exhibitions are held annually.

One of the unique exhibitions, "The Kalevala Universe," introduces visitors to the famous epic "Kalevala." The epic had a huge influence on the development of the Karelian and Finnish languages, literature, culture, and the national consciousness of both peoples. The exhibition offers an immersive journey along a path into the runo-singing forest accompanied by the sounds of the kantele, an exploration of the theme of the world's birth and encounters with its heroes; the unusual installation "Pike" will reveal secrets of folk life, share a brewing recipe and allow visitors to inhale the aromas of the Kalevala, while the waters of the river Tuonela will carry guests beyond the familiar world!

• The museum offers an audio guide in 9 languages (Russian, English, Karelian, Veps, Finnish, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Armenian, and Chinese).
• Free Wi‑Fi is available throughout the museum.