MUSEUM OF THEATRICAL AND MUSICAL ARTS

6 ploshchad Ostrovskogo 191011 St. Petersburg
Open: 11am - 6pm, Wednesdays 1pm - 7pm
Closed: Tuesdays Tel. 311-2195
Nearest metro stations: Nevsky prospekt and Gostiny Dvor

The Museum of Theatrical and Musical Arts was founded in Petrograd in 1918 and its first exhibition opened in 1922. The museum is housed in the building of the Board of the Imperial Theatres and the Theatre School (begun in 1828, architect Carlo Rossi) which forms part of the magnificent Ostrovsky Square ensemble, dominated by the Alexandrinsky Theatre.

The exhibition gives a detailed account of the history of Russian theatrical art. The original museum reserves consisted of works of art collected by Ivan Gorbunov, an actor of the Alexandrinsky Theatre. In the 1920s, the archives of the Board of the Imperial Theatres were transferred here along with private collections belonging to actors and theatrical figures. The museum contains the personal archives of Vera Komissarzhevskaya, Marius Petipa, Maria Savina, Olga Spesivtseva and many other luminaries. It also boasts a striking collection of portraits of theatrical figures and actors, designs and models of 18th-20th century stage sets created by such artists as Giuseppe Valeriani, Alexander Benois, Leon Bakst, Nikolai Sapunov, Kasimir Malevich, Nathan Altman and Nikolai Akimov. Theatrical posters, programmes, rare photographs, the personal effects of famous actors, and memorabilia connected with the names of Vsevolod Meyerhold, Agrippina Vaganova, Lyubov Blok and other leading lights of the theatre world are all to be seen here. One can explore a unique collection of authentic theatrical costumes and an extensive selection of audio-recordings.

The museum has a video lecture-hall and a concert hall for meetings and musical events.