Explore the Hermitage Museum Virtually

The State Hermitage Museum is the second-largest art museum in the world, housed in a complex of five interconnected buildings along the Neva River, plus additional galleries, including the magnificent Winter Palace. Founded in 1764 by Empress Catherine the Great, its collection spans over three million items covering art and culture from the Stone Age to the modern era.

The Hermitage holds one of the finest collections of Western European painting anywhere, with masterworks by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Raphael, Titian, and the French Impressionists. The palace interiors are themselves works of art, with gilded ceilings, marble columns, and malachite halls.

Virtual Tour Links

Key Areas to Explore

• Winter Palace State Rooms — Lavishly decorated ceremonial halls including the Malachite Room, with its stunning green stone columns and golden ceilings.
• Da Vinci Paintings — Two of only about fifteen surviving Leonardo paintings: the Benois Madonna and the Madonna Litta.
• Rembrandt Collection — The largest collection of Rembrandt paintings outside the Netherlands, including The Return of the Prodigal Son.
• Peacock Clock — An 18th-century gilded automaton clock featuring a peacock, rooster, and owl that still operates today.
• Jordan Staircase — The grand marble staircase of the Winter Palace, an architectural masterpiece of Baroque design.

Quick Facts

1. Founded 1764 — Established by Catherine the Great as her personal art collection
2. 3 million+ items — One of the largest museum collections on Earth
3. Second-largest art museum — Behind only the Louvre in total gallery space
4. Six buildings — Including the Winter Palace, once the official residence of Russian emperors

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