Meet your art-expert guide in central St. Petersburg, and stroll to the nearby State Hermitage Museum, housed in the lavish Winter Palace.
Along the way, hear how the Hermitage was established by Catherine the Great in 1764, when the empress purchased 255 precious artworks, the seeds of the museum’s now spectacular collection. In 1852, the Hermitage opened to the public, and is now one of the world’s biggest museums, with more than three million items.
Entrance lines can be long, so your skip-the-line ticket lets you bypass the wait lines and enjoy fast-track admission to the museum, alongside your guide. If you’re visiting between May and September, your ticket entitles you to early access to the museum, so you can head inside with your guide before the general public, and start exploring the displays in a crowd-free atmosphere. If you are traveling from October to April, enjoy a complimentary ticket to the Impressionists' Collection, instead.
Once inside, drink in the gilded chambers and hear how the museum extends across five buildings, including the Winter Palace, the home of Russia’s Tsars from 1760 onward.
Your tour ends when your guide departs. Then, either take your leave of the Hermitage or continue to explore its treasures independently — your ticket gives you all-day access to the museum.
Please note: While your skip-the-line ticket gives you early access to the Hermitage from May to September, the privilege is subject to the museum’s official approval.
