The Hermitage

The State Hermitage Museum is simply something you have to see on a visit to St. Petersburg. It is a collection that was started by Catherine the Great in 1764. It started with 300 pieces she received from Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky and nowadays the collection counts over 3 million pieces. That means that in 2,5 century 3 million pieces of art from all over the world have been collected and are now so proudly on display in the museum. Not to worry, not every piece is on display in the Winter Palace, but take into account you need several hours to explore the museum.