The Russian Museum, of which its main building, The Mikhailovsky Palace, was established in 1895 and opened its doors to the public in 1898.

The collection has grown rapidly since 1895 when its original collection was donated by the Hermitage Museum and other royal palaces surrounding St. Petersburg.

The museum now hosts exhibitions in four separate locations around the city center, all within a short walking distance of each other.

The main building, the Mikhailovsky Palace, houses 14th century Russian art to modern canvasses from the beginning of the 20th century.