The Kunstkamera
The Kunstkamera
3.5
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera) celebrated its 300 anniversary in 2014. One of the richest ethnographical museums in the world, it is a scholarly center of an international fame. The museum's unique collections, acquired through the efforts of thousands of persons, participants of the great academic expeditions, circumnavigations of the Russian fleet, and numerous donators, are rightfully admired both in this country and abroad. Indeed, they were assembled by entire Russia, and today the nation is proud of its first museum.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
804 reviews
Excellent
291
Very good
226
Average
150
Poor
61
Terrible
76
Fasolik219
Mytishchi, Russia5 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
This place felt like a scam. At least its only about $7.
The museum is terribly planned. I understand that its an old building, but they could at least make exhibition more appealing, add light and an AC, it seems like its been the same since it was made back in soviet union. It looks like a school museum. All the exhibitions were about ancient cultures, which does not make sense to be there. Then there was some decent exhibition of Lomonosov’s Lab. You will not see anything in turmaline as you would assume. Literally Only 2 exhibits of embryo and some two headed animal that you can barely see because of people.
This place needs to be reorganized, people go up a floor and down with the same stairs. Imagine how hard it is when there is so many people.
The museum is terribly planned. I understand that its an old building, but they could at least make exhibition more appealing, add light and an AC, it seems like its been the same since it was made back in soviet union. It looks like a school museum. All the exhibitions were about ancient cultures, which does not make sense to be there. Then there was some decent exhibition of Lomonosov’s Lab. You will not see anything in turmaline as you would assume. Literally Only 2 exhibits of embryo and some two headed animal that you can barely see because of people.
This place needs to be reorganized, people go up a floor and down with the same stairs. Imagine how hard it is when there is so many people.
Written August 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OG_LANKS
Exeter, UK18 contributions
Feb 2022
After studying Peter the Great I was really looking forward to going here, and it didn't disappoint. Quite frankly, some of the displays are WILD but so interesting. Was my favourite museum in St.Petersburg and would love to return, not sure I'll get the chance however...
Written January 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikolai V
London, UK65 contributions
Nov 2021
Visited Kunstkamera, Russia's first-ever museum built by Peter the Great. It's an amazing collection from all over the world: Native American warriors, Japanese samurai, Balinese relics. I wondered why my parents never brought me here as a kid. I would have loved it. Then I reached the 2nd floor, and understood why. Nightmare fuel
Written December 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy W
London, UK2 contributions
Jan 2012 • Solo
This museum is my worst museum experience in St.Petersburg.
It represents all our stereotypes of the Soviet Union : you are prohibited to take pictures, the attendants ( old ladies) are so strict, that they can easily rebuke you for talking and the atmosphere is NOT friendly at all
I tried to plan my visit, but you cannot book the tickets online and english version of the page requires a serious revision.
The collection itself is quite interesting but poorly described.
The only innovation are these 'kiosks' as they call them, where you can read a bit about exhibition and see the map of the museum
I think, that the potential of the museum is great, but they have to work hard to reach the new audiences
It represents all our stereotypes of the Soviet Union : you are prohibited to take pictures, the attendants ( old ladies) are so strict, that they can easily rebuke you for talking and the atmosphere is NOT friendly at all
I tried to plan my visit, but you cannot book the tickets online and english version of the page requires a serious revision.
The collection itself is quite interesting but poorly described.
The only innovation are these 'kiosks' as they call them, where you can read a bit about exhibition and see the map of the museum
I think, that the potential of the museum is great, but they have to work hard to reach the new audiences
Written May 11, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tanya M
London, UK308 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
A collection started by Peter the Great to broaden knowledge of Natural phenomena. Located on the banks of the Neva on the spit of Vasilievsky Island, the museum is one of the leading research centres of the Academy of Science. Its collections are among the most unique and rare in the world. Some of the exhibits might not be to everyone’s taste but none the less they were mysteries of the time that needed understanding. A fascinating insight into the things that puzzled scientists of the past.
Written April 28, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nick
Freehold, NJ48 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
This place is horrible. There is no way to buy tickets online to skip the line, there is no sign anywhere that if you buy individual excursion for 4+ you would skip the line. That line has more than 60 minutes in it, under sun with little shade available. Museum is closed on the last monday of the month for sanitary day, as if they cant clean everything during the night, also their website does not lists this closing and claimed that place was open, so we made a trip here for nothing first day.
Inside there is nothing interesting to see other than bodies born with natural problems, and even that part I would rate as 3 out of 5 unless you like this kind of stuff. There were lots of kids in that room, which I thought was inappropriate, funny how kids want to spend 15 seconds in front of EACH body and do not understand me when I might be standing there for 3-4 minutes trying to guess how each problem happened.
Finally they now close The Great Gottorp Glob to general visitors, and only allow groups to go in "for safety" (stairway up from Lomonosov room is very steep and narrow), and as usual this is not reflected anywhere on their website.
I totally wasted my trip as I've seen HD version of the bodies exhibit and wanted to see the globe.
Inside there is nothing interesting to see other than bodies born with natural problems, and even that part I would rate as 3 out of 5 unless you like this kind of stuff. There were lots of kids in that room, which I thought was inappropriate, funny how kids want to spend 15 seconds in front of EACH body and do not understand me when I might be standing there for 3-4 minutes trying to guess how each problem happened.
Finally they now close The Great Gottorp Glob to general visitors, and only allow groups to go in "for safety" (stairway up from Lomonosov room is very steep and narrow), and as usual this is not reflected anywhere on their website.
I totally wasted my trip as I've seen HD version of the bodies exhibit and wanted to see the globe.
Written September 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alexander D
St. Petersburg, Russia1 contribution
Nov 2011 • Couples
Extremely dated stereotypical, racist display of Japanese, Inuit, African, Indian and American Indian peoples.
The only worthwhile section is the centre chamber containing Peter the Great's collection of curiosities. It consists of a wide range of grotesque dead babies in jars and two headed animal skeletons. Such a collection could not be created today and is of some interest in terms of 17th century collection practice.
The museum is extremely overrated and getting by solely on its 17th century reputation and St. Petersburg's obsession with Peter the Great.
The only worthwhile section is the centre chamber containing Peter the Great's collection of curiosities. It consists of a wide range of grotesque dead babies in jars and two headed animal skeletons. Such a collection could not be created today and is of some interest in terms of 17th century collection practice.
The museum is extremely overrated and getting by solely on its 17th century reputation and St. Petersburg's obsession with Peter the Great.
Written November 23, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ElaineAndGreg
Chesterland, OH2,950 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
If you want to see the skeleton of a two-headed baby, a two-headed calf, or teeth extracted by Peter the Great, this is the museum for you.
We were attracted to the KunstKamera by the idea of seeing an early natural history museum that was as much a collection of oddities as anything else. It does have the items listed above, but overall I would not rank this among St. Petersburg’s top attractions.
The KunstKamera is in an attractive building just across the Neva River from the Hermitage, perhaps a 10-minute walk with traffic. It’s an older museum (around 300 years to be exact) with limited capacity. Translation: You may have to wait in line.
The museum attracts a younger crowd. Most of it is devoted to artifacts of cultural anthropology, such as items from North American natives, African tribes, Siberian groups, traditional Japanese villages, etc. Some of these were interesting, but similar to exhibits you would see elsewhere. Once exception for us related to various trades in African culture – depending on where you were, blacksmithing or weaving could be either a high status or low status occupation.
Most people, like us, were attracted by the oddities collected by Peter the Great himself on the second floor. They’re there. Some (such as still-born deformed babies) are there in jars. There is a collection of teeth pulled by Peter the Great, who apparently picked up that skill while traveling in western Europe. If you like that kind of thing, a guide told us that there is a large bag of such teeth in the Hermitage as well.
This site is probably best viewed for what it is, which is one of the oldest natural history museums in the world, for better or worse. We had to wait about 45 minutes to get in, but I don’t think we spent much more than 90 minutes inside.
I’d go if you have the time or interest, but wouldn’t make coming here a priority.
We were attracted to the KunstKamera by the idea of seeing an early natural history museum that was as much a collection of oddities as anything else. It does have the items listed above, but overall I would not rank this among St. Petersburg’s top attractions.
The KunstKamera is in an attractive building just across the Neva River from the Hermitage, perhaps a 10-minute walk with traffic. It’s an older museum (around 300 years to be exact) with limited capacity. Translation: You may have to wait in line.
The museum attracts a younger crowd. Most of it is devoted to artifacts of cultural anthropology, such as items from North American natives, African tribes, Siberian groups, traditional Japanese villages, etc. Some of these were interesting, but similar to exhibits you would see elsewhere. Once exception for us related to various trades in African culture – depending on where you were, blacksmithing or weaving could be either a high status or low status occupation.
Most people, like us, were attracted by the oddities collected by Peter the Great himself on the second floor. They’re there. Some (such as still-born deformed babies) are there in jars. There is a collection of teeth pulled by Peter the Great, who apparently picked up that skill while traveling in western Europe. If you like that kind of thing, a guide told us that there is a large bag of such teeth in the Hermitage as well.
This site is probably best viewed for what it is, which is one of the oldest natural history museums in the world, for better or worse. We had to wait about 45 minutes to get in, but I don’t think we spent much more than 90 minutes inside.
I’d go if you have the time or interest, but wouldn’t make coming here a priority.
Written August 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aussieeod
1,018 contributions
Jul 2016 • Family
The Kuntskamera is right next to the Zoological Museum and the two can be covered in one leisurely morning (or afternoon). There was a short queue to get in but it moved quickly and it never seemed overly crowded. Adult price is 250 roubles. This was Peter the Great's first Museum and it still retains an old world feel about it with exhibits in wooden display cases. There are rooms on Ethnic Costumes and artefacts from Asia (including Tibet and Mongolia), Indo-China, Africa, North America, and the reason that people really come here – Peter’s collection of monstrosities. Jars, and jars, and more jars of preserved foetuses and deformed children – two heads, conjoined faces, one that was born as just a torso and legs, cyclops, hydrocephalic, microcephalic – you name it. Probably not a room to be entered for the faint-hearted, expecting couples, or young children, but if you want to scare your teenaged daughter off having children, this is the place to come. Across the road is the Grand Café Neva, a good place to relax afterwards with a coffee before heading into the Zoological Museum to see the mammoths.
Written July 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leah 💜
Halifax, West Yorks236 contributions
Dec 2011 • Couples
All in all a good museum, the collections are interesting and there is commentary in English...
I couldnt handle the babys in pickle jars room, thought i could but its awful, it brings in lots and lots of tourists and these jars date back from the days of Peter The Great but I fast tracked to the next room dragging my partner with me.
You should check it out, not my cup of tea but maybe yours????
I couldnt handle the babys in pickle jars room, thought i could but its awful, it brings in lots and lots of tourists and these jars date back from the days of Peter The Great but I fast tracked to the next room dragging my partner with me.
You should check it out, not my cup of tea but maybe yours????
Written December 7, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Можно приобрести электронный билет школьникам? Или льготную покупку можно осуществить только на кассе?
NLB-Artem
Moscow, Russia11,984 contributions
Честно скажу - не знаю. Позвоните им по телефону, указанному на сайте Кунсткамеры - дозвониться сложно, но на все вопросы отвечают.
Vilius
Vilnius, Lithuania5 contributions
What is price of ticket?
Parteigenose
Moscow, Russia26 contributions
~$5
Саетлана М
Reutov, Russia
Обязательно ли распечатать билет покупая его на сайте?
Natalie250
Москва100 contributions
Нет, не обязательно. Для тех, у кого электронные билеты, отдельный вход со двора. Там сотрудник просто считывает штрихкод с вашего билета, который можно показать и на смартфоне. Мы так и сделали, никаких проблем не было.
LianaPsih
Vyshny Volochek, Russia
А можно узнать об одной вещи в Сувенирной лавке, мы как-то ездили с экскурсией в Кунсткамеру, и зашли в лавку, так вот, мне очень понравился там череп, но я не спросила сколько он стоит, потому-что нас уже уводили, и я хотела бы знать цену на этот череп, он вроде бы деревянный был. спасибо! )
Tata220882
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia373 contributions
К сожалению, не могу помочь, не помню, чтобы там в принципе был череп
Можно ли оплатить вход безналом?
Parteigenose
Moscow, Russia26 contributions
На удивление, да
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Claim your listingThe Kunstkamera - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about The Kunstkamera
- The Kunstkamera is open:
- Tue - Sun 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Hotels near The Kunstkamera:
- (0.25 mi) Bronza
- (0.45 mi) Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg
- (0.42 mi) Petr Hotel
- (0.23 mi) The Bridge Hotel
- (0.58 mi) Pushka Inn Hotel
- Restaurants near The Kunstkamera:
- (0.02 mi) Kapitall
- (0.02 mi) City Blues
- (0.03 mi) Grand Cafe Neva
- (0.03 mi) Imperator
- (0.04 mi) Old Customs House
- Attractions near The Kunstkamera:
- (0.11 mi) Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute RAS
- (0.15 mi) Palace Bridge
- (0.06 mi) Central Museum of Soil Science
- (0.10 mi) Monument to M. V. Lomonosov
- (0.06 mi) Academy of Sciences Building