The Russian Museum is the first state museum of Russian fine arts in the country. It was established in 1895 in St Petersburg by a decree of the Emperor Nicholas II.
The Russian Museum today is a unique depository of artistic treasures, a leading restoration center, an authoritative institute of academic research, a major educational center and the nucleus of a network of national museums of art.
The Russian Museum collection contains more than 400.000 exhibits, tracing the entire history of Russian art from the tenth to the twentieth century. The museum collection embraces all forms, genres, schools and movements of Russian art.
The permanent exhibition is situated in the main complex of museum buildings - in the Mikhailovsky Palace and Benois Wing.