Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
dent R200/50; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun, closed last Tue of the month; Admiralteyskaya)
Also
known as the Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology, the city's first museum was
founded in 1714 by Peter himself. It is famous largely for its ghoulish collection of
monstrosities, preserved 'freaks', two-headed mutant foeti, deformed animals and odd
body parts, all collected by Peter with the aim of educating the notoriously supersti-
tious Russian people. He wanted to demonstrate that the malformations were not the
result of the evil eye or sorcery, but rather caused by 'internal damage as well as fear
and the beliefs of the mother during pregnancy' - a marginally more enlightened
view. This fascinating place is an essential St Petersburg sight, although not one for
the faint-hearted. Think twice about bringing young children here and definitely give
Kunstkamera a wide berth if you are pregnant yourself. Indeed, where else can you
see specimens with such charming names as 'double-faced monster with brain her-
nia'?
Most people rush to see the sad specimens, largely ignoring the other interesting
exhibitions on native peoples from around the world. Wonderfully kitsch dioramas ex-
hibit rare objects and cultural practices from Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Americas.
The 3rd floor houses an exhibition devoted to Mikhail Lomonosov, with a re-creation
of his study-laboratory.
The top floors of the museum are not included in your admission price and are open
only as part of a
guided tour
(in English for up to 4 people R2300, call in advance to book)
of the Academy of Science's first
astronomical observatory
and the great
Got-
torp Globe
(1654-64), a rotating globe and planetarium all in one. The entrance to
the museum is on Tamozhenny per.
PAALACCE
MENSHIKOV PALACE
adult/student R60/free, free admission 1st Thu of the month, audio tour R150; 10.30am-6pm
Tue-Sat, until 5pm Sun; Vasileostrovskaya)
The first stone building in the city, the Men-
shikov Palace was built to the grandiose tastes of Prince Alexander Menshikov, Peter
the Great's closest friend and the first governor of St Petersburg. Menshikov was of
humble origins (he is said to have sold pies on the streets of Moscow as a child), but
his talent for both organisation and intrigue made him the second-most important per-
son in the Russian Empire by the time of Peter's death in 1725. His palace, built
