St.Petersburg Seasons Festival
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23 September 06:00 – 22:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Park By badgeGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace Park is one of the most beautiful and enigmatic suburban parks in St. Petersburg. By creating man-made landscapes among natural coniferous forests and erecting park pavilions, the architects and gardeners of the past succeeded in infusing the imperial estates with elements of European architecture and transforming the harsh northern landscape.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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23 September 08:00 – 19:45
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Park By badgeAlexandria Park / Peterhof
In 2026, Alexandria Park will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its foundation: it was laid out in 1826 by decree of Emperor Nicholas I and named in honour of his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, to the east of Lower Park. Unlike the formal Lower Park, Alexandria is an English-style landscape park, designed by the architect Adam Menelas and the landscape architect Peter Erler. For almost a century, ‘Her Majesty’s Own Alexandria Country House’ served as a secluded summer residence for four generations of the Romanov imperial family. Today, the park is home to outstanding examples of Romantic architecture – the Cottage Palace, the Farmhouse Palace and the Gothic Chapel – making Alexandria a unique ensemble of Russian Romantic garden and park design. It is part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
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23 September 09:00 – 19:45
Nizhniy Park Peterhof
Park By badgePeterhof Lower Park
The Lower Park is a key feature of the Peterhof palace and park complex, stretching along the shores of the Gulf of Finland. The park is famous above all for its unique fountain system, which operates without pumps thanks to the natural difference in elevation, and for the majestic Grand Cascade and the fountain ‘Samson Tearing Apart the Lion’s Maw’. Within its grounds lie the Monplaisir Palace, the Marly Palace, the Hermitage Pavilion, and a host of smaller architectural pieces. Today, the Lower Park, laid out in the first quarter of the 18th century, remains an outstanding monument to landscape architecture and a site of cultural heritage of global significance. It forms part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
26-27.09.2026 Lower Park is only accessible with a ticket for the ‘Happiness’ Autumn Fountain Festival. Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets on the Autumn Fountain Festival online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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23 September 10:00 – 18:00
1, Ploshchad Alexandra Nevskogo
Museum By badgeNecropolis of the Masters of Art / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
There are 184 gravestones within the necropolis, a significant number of which were designed by prominent sculptors and architects and reflect the history of Russian art from the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century. The Necropolis is the final resting place of the writers Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolay Karamzin, Vassily Zhukovsky, and Ivan Krylov; the composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov; the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya; and the artists Alexander Ivanov, Ivan Shishkin, Arkhin Kuindzhi, and others.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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23 September 10:00 – 16:45
6, Admiralteysky Proezd
Museum By badgeGorokhovaya 2 State Security Museum
The “Gorokhovaya 2 Department. History of the Political Police and State Security Agencies of Russia from the 19th to the 20th Centuries” of the State Museum of Political History of Russia is situated in a late-18th century mansion built by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi for the president of the medical college, Baron Ivan Fitinghoff. The building was sold to the State Treasury in 1804, becoming the Provincial Government Chambers soon after. Future Decembrists Ivan Pushchin and Kondraty Ryleyev worked as judges in the judicial chamber.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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23 September 10:00 – 16:45
2–4, Ulitsa Kuibysheva
Museum By badgeThe State Museum of the Political History of Russia / Main museum building
The State Museum of the Political History of Russia is located in the centre of St. Petersburg in historic Art Nouveau mansions that once belonged to the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya and the timber industrialist Vasily Brandt. The museum’s collection includes around half a million items and spans the period of Russian political history from the reign of Catherine II to the present day. Its exhibitions, thematic displays, as well as educational programmes and projects reflect the museum’s mission of demonstrating the continuity of Russian statehood (the Russian Empire, the USSR, and the Russian Federation).
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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23 September 10:00 – 17:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Museum Self purchaseGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace was built in the 18th century as a country retreat and hunting lodge for Count Grigory Orlov, a favourite of Catherine II. From 1783 until the Revolution, Gatchina Palace was the property of the imperial family. As you explore the exhibition at your own pace, you will see the restored state rooms of Pavel I era, including the Upper Throne Room and the State Bedchamber, admire the Greek Gallery, and stroll through the romantic underground passage.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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23 September 10:00 – 18:00
1, Ploshchad Alexandra Nevskogo
Museum By badgeNecropolis of the 18th Century / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
There are 184 gravestones within the necropolis, a significant number of which were designed by prominent sculptors and architects and reflect the history of Russian art from the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century.
The Necropolis is the final resting place of the writers Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolay Karamzin, Vassily Zhukovsky, and Ivan Krylov; the composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov; the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya; and the artists Alexander Ivanov, Ivan Shishkin, Arkhin Kuindzhi, and others.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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23 September 10:00 – 18:00
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Museum By badgeRussian Ethnographic Museum
The Russian Ethnographic Museum is one of the largest ethnographic museums in the world. Its collection numbers around 500,000 exhibits. The museum’s permanent displays and exhibitions offer a window into the distinctive material world of the peoples inhabiting the vast expanses of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, and Central Asia. The museum preserves cultural monuments of 157 peoples of Russia and neighbouring countries.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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23 September 10:00 – 17:30
9, Solyanoy Pereulok
Museum By badgeState Memorial Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad
The museum is a national repository for the preservation of historical memory: thousands of exhibits were donated by veterans and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad. The collection contains more than 54,000 items – everything from weapons and photographs to manuscripts and works of art. Located on Solyanoy Pereulok, the museum combines documentary evidence of the Siege with modern technology, helping visitors grasp the scale of the tragedy and the magnitude of the heroism of the city’s defenders.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
For guided tours, advance booking is available by phone: +7 (812) 275 7547.
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23 September 10:00 – 19:00
32/1, Ulitsa Basseynaya
Museum By badge“Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre
The “Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre is a modern exhibition space with permanent multimedia exhibits that present the periods of Russian history under the Rurik and Romanov dynasties. The history of St. Petersburg is told in the “St. Petersburg. History and Development” multimedia exhibit and the “My Petersburg” exhibit.
The Museum and Exhibition Centre also regularly hosts various temporary exhibitions and events.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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23 September 10:00 – 16:45
7, Ulitsa Sadovaya
Еxcursion By badgeSightseeing tour of the Catherine Palace at the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum and Heritage Site
The exhibition at the Catherine Palace Museum covers the over 300-year history of this outstanding monument and tells about the creativity of the architects who took part in its construction and decoration in the 18–19th centuries, as well as the achievements of the restorers who revived the Palace after the Great Patriotic War.
The Catherine Palace is a wonderful example of Russian baroque, amazing visitors with the luxurious furnishings of the Great Hall and the golden succession of grand reception rooms. These include the world-renowned Amber Room, which has been given new life.
Participants can attend by presenting their badge. You must present your badge at the Church Gates, then go to the Catherine Palace lobby and pick up a free ticket to join the excursions taking place in the museum.
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23 September 10:00 – 17:00
22a, Ulitsa Chkalovа, Gatchina
Museum Self purchasePrioratsky Palace
Prioratsky Palace, resembling a medieval Catholic monastery, was built in 1799 to a design by architect Nikolai Lvov for the Knights of the Order of Malta. It is Russia’s only rammed-earth structure of the late 18th century.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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23 September 10:00 – 18:00
12, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Museum By badgeAlexander Pushkin. Life and Work Museum
The literary and monographic exposition opened in 1999 in the former mansion of the Princes Volkonsky. Unique exhibits from Pushkin’s era are displayed across the museum’s seventeen halls, among them contemporary likenesses of Pushkin and his circle, along with memorial objects including the poet's writing desk from the house at Boldino.
Original costumes worn by the characters in the film “The Prophet: The Story of Alexander Pushkin” are woven naturally into the display.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Please present your badge at the museum's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Independent access to the museum’s “Pushkin: Life and Work” exposition, without a guided tour.
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23 September 10:00 – 18:00
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Museum By badgeThe Derzhavin Museum Estate
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Entry to the Museum Estate exposition without a guided tour, to the exhibitions in the West and East Wings, and to the Estate Garden is by badge.
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23 September 10:00 – 20:00
Moscow, 21, Tverskaya Ulitsa, Building 1, exhibition hall №3
Еxhibition Self purchase“More Than a Theatre” Project Exhibition / State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (Moscow)
The Franco-Russian Dialogue Association, together with its Russian partners, presents “More Than a Theatre”, a project marking 250 years of Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre.
The project turns its attention to the Bolshoi of today, and specifically to those who serve on Russia’s foremost stage. Distinguished masters of sculpture and painting, among them Oleg Zakomorny, Vadim Kirillov, Viktor Korneev, and Andrei Remnev, have created works capturing the theatre’s outstanding figures: Valery Gergiev, Yury Grigorovich, Makhar Vaziev, Svetlana Zakharova, Denis Rodkin, Vladislav Lantratov, Svetlana Lachina, and many others.
The culmination of the project will be a series of exhibitions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Paris, presenting for the first time the complete collection of works created for it. The project comprises more than 90 pieces: paintings, graphic works, and sculpture.
In Moscow, “More Than a Theatre” will run at the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia from 23 September 2026 to 10 January 2027.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets independently at the Museum’s ticket office. Tickets for the permanent displays and temporary exhibitions go off sale 30 minutes before the Museum closes. Visitors entitled to concessions may obtain their tickets at the ticket office. Those using a free or concessionary ticket must present documentary proof of entitlement at the entrance.
Tickets may be paid for using the Pushkin Card.
Information about guided tours and how to book will be published on the Museum's official website, sovrhistory.ru.
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23 September 10:30 – 17:00
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Museum By badgeFarmhouse Palace / Peterhof
The Farmhouse Palace is one of the architectural landmarks of Alexandria Park, which forms part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve. The palace derives its unusual name from the ‘Ten-Cow Farm’, built in the early 1830s by the architect Adam Menelas as a summer residence for Emperor Nicholas I. Over the following decades, the modest country pavilion was rebuilt on several occasions under the direction of the architect Andrey Stakenschneider and, by the late 1850s, had been transformed into a fully-fledged palace in the ‘English Gothic’ style. The country palace became the favourite summer residence of Emperor Alexander II and his family, and its appearance and interiors reflect not the ceremonial side, but the private, domestic life of the ruling dynasty. The halls and memorial rooms preserve the atmosphere of family life at the imperial court in the mid-19th century.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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23 September 11:00 – 21:00
35, Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’ / ROSPHOTO State Museum and Exhibition Centre
The exhibition project ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’, which was organized with the support of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Ministry of Culture, is dedicated to the history of Russian industrial and art exhibitions. These unique events served as major showcases for the country’s economic, scientific, and cultural achievements between 1829 and 1896. The exhibition focuses on the 16th All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition held in Nizhny Novgorod in 1896, an event of unprecedented scale that surpassed even the famous 1889 World’s Fair in Paris and the 1882 All-Russian Exhibition in Moscow in terms of its scope and significance. It marked the pinnacle of the country’s industrial and creative ascension and served as a visual recap of Russia’s development throughout the 19th century.
The display includes unique photographs, rare presentation albums, and archival publications from the collections of ROSPHOTO, the Nizhny Novgorod State Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve, the Russian Museum of Photography, the Institute for the History of Material Culture and the Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and various private collections. These items not only showcase the outstanding engineering and artistic achievements of the era, but also enable visitors to experience the spirit of a time defined by great transformation.
Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
Guided tours are available by prior appointment. Please book by calling +7 (911) 240 2916 (Mon–Fri, 10:00–18:00) or emailing excursion@rosphoto.org (at least two days before the planned visit for groups of 5 to 15 people).
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23 September 11:00 – 17:00
30, Rasstannaya Ulitsa
Museum By badgeLiteratorskie Mostki Necropolis / State Museum of Urban Sculpture
Since 1939, the Literatorskie Mostki Necropolis has been a branch of the State Museum of Urban Sculpture. It takes its name from one of the paths leading to the graves of the celebrated nineteenth-century literary critics Vissarion Belinsky, Nikolai Dobrolyubov, and Dmitry Pisarev.
Occupying the northern part of the Volkovskoye Orthodox Cemetery, the necropolis became the final resting place both of outstanding writers and scholars of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and of well-known figures of our own day. Buried here are some of the most distinguished names in literature, among them Ivan Turgenev, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Alexander Blok, and Olga Berggolts; the eminent scientists Dmitry Mendeleev, Ivan Pavlov, and Alexander Popov; the masters of stage and screen Nikolai Akimov, Grigori Kozintsev, Vladislav Strzhelchik, and Efim Kopelyan; the composers Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi and Valery Gavrilin; and many others.
What gives the necropolis’s collection of memorials its particular artistic character is that, alongside works by such well-known nineteenth-century sculptors as Robert Bach and Leopold Bernstamm, it also holds a substantial body of Soviet-era memorial sculpture, including works by Mikhail Anikushin, Matvey Manizer, Vladimir Ingal, and Igor Krestovsky.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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23 September 12:00 – 19:00
43, Ulitsa Kirochnaya
Museum By badgeState Historical Museum of Alexander Suvorov
The museum was erected in St. Petersburg in honour of Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, built over the period 1901–1904 with the highest permission of Emperor Nicholas II. The Preobrazhensky Regiment provided the site for the museum – part of its parade ground on the corner of Ulitsa Kirochnaya and Ulitsa Tavricheskaya. Both wings of the museum’s main façade are decorated with mosaic paintings by N. Maslennikov and M. Zoshchenko.
Visitors can look around the permanent exhibition dedicated to the life of Alexander Suvorov.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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23 September 12:00 – 20:00
8, Vyazemsky Pereulok
Museum By badgeAnikushin’s Studio / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘In Progress’ exhibition is dedicated to the studio itself and to the creative and technical processes that once took place there and continue to this day.
The studio was constructed in 1969 specifically for work on the city’s monuments. Mikhail Anikushin worked there for almost thirty years. Visitors will get a chance to explore the working space of the monumental sculptor and follow the main stages in the creation of the monument.
What is modelling? What does the framework look like? How many times can a sculpture be enlarged? Interactive zones will help visitors understand the intricacies of a sculptor’s work: visitors to the workshop will be able to look inside a huge head of Lenin, assemble a model of the Cherkasov monument, and see for themselves that even the angle of an arm can alter the mood of the entire piece.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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23 September 12:00 – 18:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxcursion By badgeExhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: The Battle of Anghiari” / Museum of Christian Culture
A unique exhibition project dedicated to one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous works – The Battle of Anghiari – features an exclusive guided tour programme for guests and participants of the Forum. The exhibition centres on a study of Leonardo da Vinci’s lost mural, created in the early 16th century at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The Battle of Anghiari is regarded as one of the artist’s most innovative works, which has not survived to the present day due to the use of experimental techniques.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a panel on which Leonardo worked out the compositional and colour solutions for his future masterpiece – a unique work that holds the secret characteristic of the master’s art. The project has been initiated by the Museum of Christian Culture – one of St. Petersburg’s most significant spiritual and educational centres – in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
Admission is by session; sessions start daily at 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 18:00.
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23 September 12:00 – 13:00
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badge“The Formula of the Future” tour / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
This large-scale interactive exhibition will change the way visitors think about Soviet science fiction and take them on an unforgettable journey into a world of imagination and science. More than an exhibition, it is a new kind of museum space where classics meet contemporary art and technology. The exhibition tells the story of how the bold ideas of Tsiolkovsky, Yefremov, the Strugatsky brothers, and many others shaped the nation’s scientific dreams and influenced real discoveries.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Duration: 1 hour.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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23 September 14:00 – 19:00
1, Ploshchad Stachek
Museum By badgeNarva Triumphal Arch / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘The Bronze Knight’ exhibition is not so much about the metal itself and the techniques used to work with it, but rather about making the most of the material’s potential and the artist’s search for the ideal means of realizing their vision. A recurring theme is the relationship between craftsmanship and creativity in artistic practices of the 19th century and the present day, as well as society’s perception of the artist during these two distinct historical periods.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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23 September 14:00 – 15:00
4/2, Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa, Letter I, apt. 119N, entrance through the archway at 2, Cheboksarsky Pereulok
Еxcursion By badge“The History of the House of Writers” tour / Mikhail Zoshchenko Memorial Apartment
“The History of the House of Writers”, including admission ticket
You will learn about the literary, musical, theatrical, and cinematic history of the House of Writers: why the building was nicknamed the “head-scraper”, whether its residents were happy in the Soviet era, how they lived through the years of the repressions, and which Soviet bestsellers were written here. Among the well-known writers who lived in the building were Mikhail Zoshchenko, Veniamin Kaverin, Nikolay Zabolotsky, Evgeny Schwartz, and Boris Tomashevsky.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 571 7819.
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23 September 17:00 – 18:00
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badge“Word Catchers” tour / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
A finalist in the prestigious national Museum Olympus competition, this exhibition explores the formative period of Russian and Soviet literature in the first third of the twentieth century, as the city itself transformed from St. Petersburg to Petrograd and then to Leningrad.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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23 September 19:00 – 22:00
33, Galernaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketOpera: Romeo and Juliet / St. Petersburg Chamber Opera Music Theatre
The ‘St Petersburg Opera’ Theatre presents a production dedicated to youth and the uplifting power of love. The performance weaves together Shakespeare’s poetry and Gounod’s music, creating a timeless story about eternal values. The audience can look forward to a tale of loyalty, passion and the power of the heart, capable of great deeds. Yuri Alexandrov, director and People’s Artist of Russia, dedicated this production to young people, emphasizing the purity and significance of first love at the start of one’s journey through life. This opera asserts that it is love that makes a person human, filling their existence with genuine meaning.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present your badge at the venue's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Seating is limited.
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23 September 19:00 – 21:40
4, Aleksandrovsky Park
Performance By ticket"8 Loving Women" Theatre performance / The Baltic House Festival Theatre
Based on the play by Robert Thomas translated by M.K. Levina and A. Ya. Reizhevsky
Director Lev Rakhlin
Everyone must remain in their seats! Leaving the auditorium after the third bell is strictly forbidden! A thoroughly devious crime. The suspects are ‘8 loving women’. You are all witnesses!
The victim is a middle-aged man of pleasant appearance, a Frenchman. The scene of the crime is a chalet, lost in the snow not far from Paris. The alleged perpetrators are the victim’s wife, daughter, stepdaughter, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, maid, chambermaid and sister. Eight women – is that a lot or a few? For one man, whom they all took turns poisoning... For one man, whose life they had all been making a living hell, it was all a bit too much. For a lovely evening at the theatre – just the ticket!
16+
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present your badge at the venue's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Seating is limited.
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23 September 19:00 – 21:20
1, Pionerskaya Ploshchad
Performance By ticketThe Elder Son / Bryantsev Youth Theatre
The Elder Son, directed by Susanna Tsiryuk, Chief Director of the Youth Theatre, is an original interpretation of Alexander Vampilov’s play, which has already become a modern classic. The dramatic material is conceived as a deeply emotional theatrical experience – a play about love and kindness, responsibility for oneself and loved ones, and the vulnerability of delicate human feelings. At the same time, however, the production team wished to preserve the genre of comedy as defined by Vampilov.
Susanna Tsiryuk, director: “Vampilov’s play is full of paradoxes. On the one hand, we witness Busygin’s cruel prank, but on the other, genuine human closeness emerges from it. What a paradox! Or take the loving Sarafanov family, yet every member of it is lonely and misunderstood. A paradox! Or Makarskaya, who sees divorcing couples in court every day, yet dreams of love. Another paradox! The most important thing in this play is what happens between people!”.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present your badge at the venue's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Seating is limited.
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23 September 19:00 – 21:40
13, Italianskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketDie Fledermaus Operetta by Johann Strauss / Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy
Die Fledermaus is Johann Strauss’s most popular and ‘festive’ operetta. It is a staple of the repertoire at many musical theatres around the world, enjoying the love and acclaim of a very wide audience. Strauss’s magnificent music, sparkling like champagne bubbles, creates a unique atmosphere of light-heartedness and merriment. Meanwhile, the brilliant, witty libretto by Erdman and Volpin has long been a source of memorable quotes.
Die Fledermaus is a treasure trove of pranks, witty lies and misunderstandings in which the main characters – two friends, the businessman Heinrich Eisenstein and the theatre director Falk – find themselves entangled. One falls in love with a stranger, unaware that his wife Rosalinda is hiding behind the bat’s mask; the other falls for the maid Adele, even though he mocks her desire to become an actress at his theatre. In the finale, the masks are cast aside and the truth is revealed, to everyone’s astonishment.
12+
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present your badge at the venue's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Seating is limited.
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23 September 19:00 – 20:30
88–90, Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova
Performance By ticketSympho-Jazz: Comfort Zone / Petersburg-Concert
Petersburg-Concert is proud to present the exclusive programme Sympho-Jazz: Comfort Zone.
Musicians from the St. Petersburg Variety Symphony Orchestra, led by maestro Andrey Medvedev and with star vocalists from Petersburg-Concert, will take the audience on a timeless, atmospheric journey through the musical landscape of the 20th and 21st centuries.
“Sympho-Jazz is a musical genre and a fusion of classical music and jazz, and our orchestra is one of the leading ensembles that performs this style,” Artistic Director and Conductor of the St. Petersburg Variety Symphony Orchestra Andrey Medvedev says.
Guests will get to experience the vibrant, emotional world of this globally beloved concert style, which seamlessly blends the aristocratic refinement of symphonic classics with the expressive nuances of jazz and the infectious rhythms of Latin music.
Joining the orchestra to showcase their vocal mastery are Petersburg-Concert’s top soloists: Anton Avdeyev, a laureate and Grand Prix winner of over a dozen national and international vocal competitions; the charismatic and dazzling Ana Agrba, a laureate of national and international contests; Milana Urbanovich, a laureate of the ‘Spring of Romance’ competition and winner of the ‘A Star Born in St. Petersburg’ national contest; and Pavel Kryukov, winner of the ‘One and the Same!’ show on the Russia-1 TV channel, as well as a singer and frontman of KRYUKOV band.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present your badge at the venue's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Seating is limited.
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23 September 19:00 – 21:10
27, Ulitsa Bolshaya Konyushennaya
Performance By ticketPerformance Production: The Main Element / Arkady Raikin Variety Theatre
There is an alien spaceship hovering over Earth. Members of an unknown civilization are demanding a single human – a ‘prototype’ – to be handed over for research. Who will step up to play the hero? A scientist? A famous athlete? A public figure? A space force general? None of them! The hero turns out to be an ordinary office worker with an incomplete higher education – a quintessential ‘nobody’ whose life and achievements seem utterly unremarkable and insignificant. Will he properly rise to the challenge? What will he endure, and what conclusions will he draw from this experience? By blending absurdity, irony, and humour, the narrative avoids becoming standard science fiction while still examining profound philosophical questions.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present your badge at the venue's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Seating is limited.
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23 September 20:00 – 22:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Concert By invitation‘The Russian National Musical Team’. Sergey Roldugin and Soloists of the House of Music / St. Petersburg State Academic Capella
A joint concert featuring the Artistic Director of the St. Petersburg House of Music, Sergey Roldugin, and young soloists. St. Petersburg State Capella Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Alexander Chernushenko.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
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24 September 06:00 – 22:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Park By badgeGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace Park is one of the most beautiful and enigmatic suburban parks in St. Petersburg. By creating man-made landscapes among natural coniferous forests and erecting park pavilions, the architects and gardeners of the past succeeded in infusing the imperial estates with elements of European architecture and transforming the harsh northern landscape.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 08:00 – 19:45
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Park By badgeAlexandria Park / Peterhof
In 2026, Alexandria Park will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its foundation: it was laid out in 1826 by decree of Emperor Nicholas I and named in honour of his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, to the east of Lower Park. Unlike the formal Lower Park, Alexandria is an English-style landscape park, designed by the architect Adam Menelas and the landscape architect Peter Erler. For almost a century, ‘Her Majesty’s Own Alexandria Country House’ served as a secluded summer residence for four generations of the Romanov imperial family. Today, the park is home to outstanding examples of Romantic architecture – the Cottage Palace, the Farmhouse Palace and the Gothic Chapel – making Alexandria a unique ensemble of Russian Romantic garden and park design. It is part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
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24 September 09:50 – 20:30
Peter and Paul Fortress
Museum By badgeState Museum of the History of St. Petersburg / Peter and Paul Fortress
The State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg is one of the biggest historical museums in Russia. The museum’s collection contains over 1.3 million exhibits, reflecting the history of the city on the Neva from its founding to the present day.
The centerpiece of the museum is the Peter and Paul Fortress, a unique monument of history, architecture, and fortification art of the 18th–20th centuries.
The dominant feature of the architectural ensemble is the Peter and Paul Cathedral – one of the most iconic symbols of St. Petersburg, the burial vault of the Imperial House of Romanov.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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24 September 10:00 – 19:00
17, Nevsky Prospekt
Museum By badgeStroganov Palace / State Russian museum
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Stroganov Palace: the permanent exhibition (the palace halls) and the exhibitions ‘Glass and Stone’, ‘Glass in Sculpture,’ and ‘The Villa of a Russian Patron’.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
94, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki. Entrance to the exhibition from 21, Ulitsa Dekabristov
Еxhibition By invitation“Our Home Reminded Us of a Museum…” Dutch Painting of the 17th–19th Centuries from the Collection of the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate (St. Petersburg Palace of Culture for Education Workers (Yusupov Palace on the Moika)
More than half of the collection of Dutch paintings held by the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate is being presented for the first time. The Nikolaevsky Hall of the Yusupov Palace has been arranged to recreate the setting of the gallery of paintings once owned by the Yusupov princes, featuring furniture and decorative and applied arts from the collection of the Yusupov Palace on the Moika. Twelve of the 28 paintings have returned to the walls of the Palace. The exhibition features paintings by Dutch artists in a variety of genres. The exhibition texts include materials from the hand-drawn catalogue compiled by Prince Yusupov, the founder of one of the richest private art collections.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission on any day from September 24 to 27.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your inviation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
12, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Museum By badgeAlexander Pushkin. Life and Work Museum
The literary and monographic exposition opened in 1999 in the former mansion of the Princes Volkonsky. Unique exhibits from Pushkin’s era are displayed across the museum’s seventeen halls, among them contemporary likenesses of Pushkin and his circle, along with memorial objects including the poet's writing desk from the house at Boldino.
Original costumes worn by the characters in the film “The Prophet: The Story of Alexander Pushkin” are woven naturally into the display.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Please present your badge at the museum's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Independent access to the museum’s “Pushkin: Life and Work” exposition, without a guided tour.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Museum By badgeThe Derzhavin Museum Estate
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Entry to the Museum Estate exposition without a guided tour, to the exhibitions in the West and East Wings, and to the Estate Garden is by badge.
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24 September 10:00 – 22:00
4, Inzhenernaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By invitation‘Great Women: Images in Russian Art’ exhibition at Mikhailovsky Palace
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Mikhailovsky Palace: the exhibition ‘Great Women: Images in Russian Art’ (an official exhibition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum), featuring over 300 paintings, sculptures, and graphic portraits of women who lived in the Russian Empire’s capital and made an impact on national history, Russian thought, social norms and manners, and tastes.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 10:00 – 16:45
6, Admiralteysky Proezd
Museum By badgeGorokhovaya 2 State Security Museum
The “Gorokhovaya 2 Department. History of the Political Police and State Security Agencies of Russia from the 19th to the 20th Centuries” of the State Museum of Political History of Russia is situated in a late-18th century mansion built by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi for the president of the medical college, Baron Ivan Fitinghoff. The building was sold to the State Treasury in 1804, becoming the Provincial Government Chambers soon after. Future Decembrists Ivan Pushchin and Kondraty Ryleyev worked as judges in the judicial chamber.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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24 September 10:00 – 16:45
2–4, Ulitsa Kuibysheva
Museum By badgeThe State Museum of the Political History of Russia / Main museum building
The State Museum of the Political History of Russia is located in the centre of St. Petersburg in historic Art Nouveau mansions that once belonged to the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya and the timber industrialist Vasily Brandt. The museum’s collection includes around half a million items and spans the period of Russian political history from the reign of Catherine II to the present day. Its exhibitions, thematic displays, as well as educational programmes and projects reflect the museum’s mission of demonstrating the continuity of Russian statehood (the Russian Empire, the USSR, and the Russian Federation).
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
14, Ulitsa Pochtamptskaya
Museum By badgeMuseum of the History of Religion
The State Museum of the History of Religion is the only museum in Russia – and one of only a handful of museums in the world – that tells the story of the origin and development of religion. The museum’s collection contains more than 200,000 exhibits, the oldest dating back more than 200 million years. These are historical and cultural monuments from various countries, eras, and peoples: from the Archaic period, ancient Egypt and Israel to the early European Middle Ages; from Ancient Greece and Rome to modern times. Visitors can explore exhibits covering three world religions: Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, as well as Judaism and the national religions of India, China, and Japan.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:00 – 16:45
7, Ulitsa Sadovaya
Еxcursion By badgeSightseeing tour of the Catherine Palace at the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum and Heritage Site
The exhibition at the Catherine Palace Museum covers the over 300-year history of this outstanding monument and tells about the creativity of the architects who took part in its construction and decoration in the 18–19th centuries, as well as the achievements of the restorers who revived the Palace after the Great Patriotic War.
The Catherine Palace is a wonderful example of Russian baroque, amazing visitors with the luxurious furnishings of the Great Hall and the golden succession of grand reception rooms. These include the world-renowned Amber Room, which has been given new life.
Participants can attend by presenting their badge. You must present your badge at the Church Gates, then go to the Catherine Palace lobby and pick up a free ticket to join the excursions taking place in the museum.
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24 September 10:00 – 17:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Museum Self purchaseGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace was built in the 18th century as a country retreat and hunting lodge for Count Grigory Orlov, a favourite of Catherine II. From 1783 until the Revolution, Gatchina Palace was the property of the imperial family. As you explore the exhibition at your own pace, you will see the restored state rooms of Pavel I era, including the Upper Throne Room and the State Bedchamber, admire the Greek Gallery, and stroll through the romantic underground passage.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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24 September 10:00 – 17:00
22a, Ulitsa Chkalovа, Gatchina
Museum Self purchasePrioratsky Palace
Prioratsky Palace, resembling a medieval Catholic monastery, was built in 1799 to a design by architect Nikolai Lvov for the Knights of the Order of Malta. It is Russia’s only rammed-earth structure of the late 18th century.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
62, Liteyny Prospekt
Еxhibition By badgeINDIVISIBLE: Windows of Memory Multimedia project / Third Place Art Gallery
The multimedia project INDIVISIBLE: Windows of Memory tells the story of the collections of four Crimean museums, which were sent to international exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands in 2013–2014.
An immersive exhibition in St. Petersburg will allow you to delve into Crimea’s past. You will discover how civilizations intertwined here, how eras succeeded one another, and how the Russian state carefully collected, studied and preserved this unique heritage in museum collections. Artefacts from these museums have been lovingly selected and brought together in a single exhibition for two international exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands.
Due to a political decision by the Amsterdam court, the unified exhibition has been split up: the ancient artefacts have never been returned to their homeland. Each exhibit is not merely an object, but a part of our shared memory. When these parts are taken away, history itself is torn apart. The exhibition will serve as a powerful reminder of this truth, which was once considered an immutable principle throughout the civilized world.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
4A, St. Isaac’s Square
Museum By badgeSt. Isaac’s Cathedral
St. Isaac’s Cathedral (1818–1858, designed by Auguste de Montferrand) – an outstanding example of the synthesis of architecture and monumental decorative art. The cathedral houses a unique collection of monumental religious paintings, as well as over two hundred reliefs, statues, and sculptural groups.
Tour of St. Isaac’s Cathedral no guide, no ascent to the top of the colonnade.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:00 – 19:00
2, Sadovaya Ulitsa
Museum By badgeMikhailovsky Castle / State Russian Museum
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Mikhailovsky Castle: the museum’s permanent exhibitions, including ‘The 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanov’ and ‘St. Petersburg Society in the Romanov Era’ located in the state and private rooms of Empress Maria Feodorovna; the permanent exhibition ‘Sculpture of the Summer Garden’; an open collection of sculptures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and the ‘National Portrait Gallery’ in the State Rooms of Emperor Paul I.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
1, Ploshchad Alexandra Nevskogo
Museum By badgeNecropolis of the 18th Century / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
There are 184 gravestones within the necropolis, a significant number of which were designed by prominent sculptors and architects and reflect the history of Russian art from the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century.
The Necropolis is the final resting place of the writers Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolay Karamzin, Vassily Zhukovsky, and Ivan Krylov; the composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov; the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya; and the artists Alexander Ivanov, Ivan Shishkin, Arkhin Kuindzhi, and others.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Museum By badgeRussian Ethnographic Museum
The Russian Ethnographic Museum is one of the largest ethnographic museums in the world. Its collection numbers around 500,000 exhibits. The museum’s permanent displays and exhibitions offer a window into the distinctive material world of the peoples inhabiting the vast expanses of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, and Central Asia. The museum preserves cultural monuments of 157 peoples of Russia and neighbouring countries.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:00 – 17:30
43, Ulitsa Kirochnaya
Museum By badgeState Historical Museum of Alexander Suvorov
The museum was erected in St. Petersburg in honour of Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, built over the period 1901–1904 with the highest permission of Emperor Nicholas II. The Preobrazhensky Regiment provided the site for the museum – part of its parade ground on the corner of Ulitsa Kirochnaya and Ulitsa Tavricheskaya. Both wings of the museum’s main façade are decorated with mosaic paintings by N. Maslennikov and M. Zoshchenko.
Visitors can look around the permanent exhibition dedicated to the life of Alexander Suvorov.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:00 – 17:30
9, Solyanoy Pereulok
Museum By badgeState Memorial Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad
The museum is a national repository for the preservation of historical memory: thousands of exhibits were donated by veterans and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad. The collection contains more than 54,000 items – everything from weapons and photographs to manuscripts and works of art. Located on Solyanoy Pereulok, the museum combines documentary evidence of the Siege with modern technology, helping visitors grasp the scale of the tragedy and the magnitude of the heroism of the city’s defenders.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
For guided tours, advance booking is available by phone: +7 (812) 275 7547.
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24 September 10:00 – 19:00
32/1, Ulitsa Basseynaya
Museum By badge“Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre
The “Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre is a modern exhibition space with permanent multimedia exhibits that present the periods of Russian history under the Rurik and Romanov dynasties. The history of St. Petersburg is told in the “St. Petersburg. History and Development” multimedia exhibit and the “My Petersburg” exhibit.
The Museum and Exhibition Centre also regularly hosts various temporary exhibitions and events.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
36, Liteyny Prospekt
Museum By badgeNikolay Nekrasov Memorial Apartment
The house at 36, Liteyny Prospekt is forever bound up with the name of one of Russia’s most celebrated poets. Nikolay Nekrasov lived here from 1857 until his death in 1877. Throughout those years, the poet’s apartment housed the editorial offices of two progressive and popular journals, Sovremennik and Otechestvennye Zapiski. The reconstructed domestic and historical setting of the memorial apartment includes authentic nineteenth-century objects, Nekrasov’s personal belongings, portraits of the poet painted from life by Ivan Kramskoy and Konstantin Makovsky, and unique documents of the period.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Guided tour service is not provided.
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24 September 10:00 – 18:00
7, Alexandrovsky Park
Еxhibition By badge“Weapons of the Peoples of Russia” Exhibition Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, as part of the Days of Army Culture, the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps will open the exhibition entitled “Weapons of the Peoples of Russia”, featuring more than 130 items from the museum's collections.
Visitors will see a unique collection encompassing the gunsmith’s art of the peoples of the Caucasus, a variety of arms and weaponry of the peoples of Central Asia, and the weapons of the peoples of Siberia and the Far East, most of which are on display for the first time.
The collection began to take shape at the museum during the reign of Empress Elizabeth and has been added to ever since with new pieces reflecting the art of weapon-making among the peoples of Russia.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Tour bookings by telephone: +7 (812) 232 0296
Open 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.
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24 September 10:00 – 11:30
6, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Еxcursion By invitationThe Splendid Alexandrinsky Theatre (Main Stage)
The Splendid Alexandrinsky Theatre: groups of up to 20 people
The Alexandrinsky Theatre, our country’s oldest state theatre, was once Russia’s principal imperial stage. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to stroll through the Carriage Gallery, visit the Audience Foyer and the Imperial Foyer; admire the sumptuous Audience Hall, take a peek into the Tsar’s Box and hear numerous theatre legends. The ‘Museum of Russian Drama’ on the third tier will introduce visitors to stage costumes, sketches and artefacts from theatre life.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 10:00 – 20:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Еxhibition Free admissionSt. Petersburg State Academic Capella, White Hall
An exhibition of the greatest achievements of Russian musical instrument and sound equipment manufacturers
Free entry, no badge required.
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24 September 10:30 – 17:30
53, Liteyny Prospekt
Museum By badgeAnna Akhmatova State Literary and Memorial Museum in Fountain House
A private visit to the literary and memorial exhibition of the Anna Akhmatova Museum in Fountain House.
Anna Akhmatova lived in Fountain House, in the apartment of the famous art historian and avant-garde theorist Nikolai Punin, for almost 30 years.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 10:30 – 17:00
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Museum By badgeFarmhouse Palace / Peterhof
The Farmhouse Palace is one of the architectural landmarks of Alexandria Park, which forms part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve. The palace derives its unusual name from the ‘Ten-Cow Farm’, built in the early 1830s by the architect Adam Menelas as a summer residence for Emperor Nicholas I. Over the following decades, the modest country pavilion was rebuilt on several occasions under the direction of the architect Andrey Stakenschneider and, by the late 1850s, had been transformed into a fully-fledged palace in the ‘English Gothic’ style. The country palace became the favourite summer residence of Emperor Alexander II and his family, and its appearance and interiors reflect not the ceremonial side, but the private, domestic life of the ruling dynasty. The halls and memorial rooms preserve the atmosphere of family life at the imperial court in the mid-19th century.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 11:00 – 21:00
Moscow, 21, Tverskaya Ulitsa, Building 1, exhibition hall №3
Еxhibition Self purchase“More Than a Theatre” Project Exhibition / State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (Moscow)
The Franco-Russian Dialogue Association, together with its Russian partners, presents “More Than a Theatre”, a project marking 250 years of Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre.
The project turns its attention to the Bolshoi of today, and specifically to those who serve on Russia’s foremost stage. Distinguished masters of sculpture and painting, among them Oleg Zakomorny, Vadim Kirillov, Viktor Korneev, and Andrei Remnev, have created works capturing the theatre’s outstanding figures: Valery Gergiev, Yury Grigorovich, Makhar Vaziev, Svetlana Zakharova, Denis Rodkin, Vladislav Lantratov, Svetlana Lachina, and many others.
The culmination of the project will be a series of exhibitions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Paris, presenting for the first time the complete collection of works created for it. The project comprises more than 90 pieces: paintings, graphic works, and sculpture.
In Moscow, “More Than a Theatre” will run at the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia from 23 September 2026 to 10 January 2027.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets independently at the Museum’s ticket office. Tickets for the permanent displays and temporary exhibitions go off sale 30 minutes before the Museum closes. Visitors entitled to concessions may obtain their tickets at the ticket office. Those using a free or concessionary ticket must present documentary proof of entitlement at the entrance.
Tickets may be paid for using the Pushkin Card.
Information about guided tours and how to book will be published on the Museum's official website, sovrhistory.ru.
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24 September 11:00 – 18:30
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxhibition By badge“In the Theatre Designer’s Studio” Exhibition / Sheremetyevsky Palace – The Museum of Music
The exhibition is devoted to the singular space in which a production’s visual identity is born. It is a space usually closed to outside eyes, but the Museum of Theatre and Music is lifting the veil on its closely guarded secrets.
The aim of the exhibition is to take visitors on a journey into the world of stage design and to draw attention to the work of the theatre designer, who reveals a production’s conception and atmosphere through sets, costumes, and props. By the nature of the art form, audiences never see the creator, only the results of the work.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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24 September 11:00 – 21:00
35, Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’ / ROSPHOTO State Museum and Exhibition Centre
The exhibition project ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’, which was organized with the support of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Ministry of Culture, is dedicated to the history of Russian industrial and art exhibitions. These unique events served as major showcases for the country’s economic, scientific, and cultural achievements between 1829 and 1896. The exhibition focuses on the 16th All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition held in Nizhny Novgorod in 1896, an event of unprecedented scale that surpassed even the famous 1889 World’s Fair in Paris and the 1882 All-Russian Exhibition in Moscow in terms of its scope and significance. It marked the pinnacle of the country’s industrial and creative ascension and served as a visual recap of Russia’s development throughout the 19th century.
The display includes unique photographs, rare presentation albums, and archival publications from the collections of ROSPHOTO, the Nizhny Novgorod State Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve, the Russian Museum of Photography, the Institute for the History of Material Culture and the Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and various private collections. These items not only showcase the outstanding engineering and artistic achievements of the era, but also enable visitors to experience the spirit of a time defined by great transformation.
Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
Guided tours are available by prior appointment. Please book by calling +7 (911) 240 2916 (Mon–Fri, 10:00–18:00) or emailing excursion@rosphoto.org (at least two days before the planned visit for groups of 5 to 15 people).
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24 September 11:00 – 16:30
1, Ploshchad Stachek
Museum By badgeNarva Triumphal Arch / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘The Bronze Knight’ exhibition is not so much about the metal itself and the techniques used to work with it, but rather about making the most of the material’s potential and the artist’s search for the ideal means of realizing their vision. A recurring theme is the relationship between craftsmanship and creativity in artistic practices of the 19th century and the present day, as well as society’s perception of the artist during these two distinct historical periods.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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24 September 11:00 – 18:30
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Museum By badgeSheremetev Palace – Museum of Music
Since 1990, Sheremetev Palace has been one of the branches of the St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music. The Museum of Music is being established within the palace, centred around Russia’s largest collection of musical instruments from around the world.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
To book a tour, call (812) 272 4441.
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24 September 11:00 – 18:00
1A, 18 Liniya V.O.
Museum By badgeSt. Petersburg State Roerich Family Museum and Institute
St. Petersburg State Roerich Family Museum and Institute is dedicated to a constellation of great cultural figures: artist and traveller Nikolai Roerich, his wife – philosopher and writer – Elena Roerich, and their sons: orientalist Yuri Roerich and artist Svyatoslav Roerich. The museum is located on Vasilyevsky Island, in the historic mansion of scholar and collector Mikhail Botkin, which Nikolai Roerich visited on numerous occasions. The museum was founded by Lyudmila Mitusova, a niece of Elena Roerich. It was conceived as a research centre dedicated to studying the legacy of our great compatriots.
It offers visitors a variety of cultural events, a permanent exhibition, temporary exhibitions, children’s programmes, festivals, concerts, creative evenings, conferences, plays, and performances.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 11:00 – 18:00
2A, Ulitsa Zodchego Rossi
Museum By badgeTheatre Museum
The Theatre Museum is located within one of St. Petersburg’s most beautiful architectural ensembles, designed by the brilliant Carlo Rossi specifically for the Directorate of the Imperial Theatres. The Museum’s collection is based on the private collections of actors Maria Savina and Ivan Gorbunov, playwright Viktor Protopopov, and patron and collector Levkiy Zheverzheev (who later became the Museum’s first deputy director for research). The Theatre Museum opened to the public on 16 May 1921 and has been one of the centres of St. Petersburg’s theatrical life ever since. The Theatre Museum currently hosts several permanent exhibitions. The exhibition ‘Theatre Legends of St. Petersburg’ has twice been awarded the highest museum prize, the ‘Museum Olympus’ (in 2009 and 2011). At its heart are rare items linked to the history of Russian theatre from the 18th to the 20th century: sumptuous costumes crafted in the workshops of the imperial theatres, portraits of great actors, pointe shoes belonging to famous ballerinas, models and sketches by Benois, Bakst, Golovin, Malevich, Tatlin and many others.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
For inquiries: Anna Laskina, cell +7 (911) 945 5483.
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24 September 11:00 – 20:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition by the Grekov Studio of Military Artists “Horizons of Russia”
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, the Grekov Studio of Military Artists presents the exhibition “Horizons of Russia”, bringing together 18 paintings created by the Studio’s artists over a number of years. The artists represented include Oleg Avakimyan, Dmitry Belyukin, Ekaterina Kamynina, Polina Mineeva, Sergei Prisekin, Alexei Semyonov, Egor Smirnov, Ekaterina Solovyeva, Alexander Syrov, and Alexei Fyodorov.
At the heart of the exhibition is an image of Russia revealed through the diversity of its landscapes and historic places.
The works on display invite visitors on an artistic journey across the country. They will see many different corners of the homeland: the northern territories and the islands of the White Sea, central Russia, historic country estates and monastery ensembles, the mountains of the Caucasus, and the wide expanses of Crimea.
A special place in the exposition is held by Ekaterina Kamynina’s triptych “Northern Wonders”, devoted to the harsh yet poetic landscape of the Russian North.
The theme of the unity of the peoples of Russia is explored through the diversity of territories and images that make up the country’s single cultural space, forming a coherent image of a Russia united by a shared history and culture.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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24 September 11:00 – 18:30
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxhibition By badge“In the Theatre Designer’s Studio” Exhibition / Sheremetyevsky Palace – The Museum of Music
The exhibition is devoted to the singular space in which a production’s visual identity is born. It is a space usually closed to outside eyes, but the Museum of Theatre and Music is lifting the veil on its closely guarded secrets.
The aim of the exhibition is to take visitors on a journey into the world of stage design and to draw attention to the work of the theatre designer, who reveals a production’s conception and atmosphere through sets, costumes, and props. By the nature of the art form, audiences never see the creator, only the results of the work.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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24 September 11:00 – 17:30
2/5, Ulitsa Dostoevskogo
Museum By badgeF.M. Dostoevsky Literary-Memorial Museum
The museum is located in the building that housed the apartment writer spent his final years. It features a memorial apartment, the Literary exhibition Fyodor Dostoevsky. Life and Work: Pro et Contra, pop-up exhibitions, a photo project by members of the group ‘St. Petersburg: Get to Know the Place’, and a solo exhibition by the artist Valentin Levitin.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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24 September 12:00 – 13:00
4/2, Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa, Letter I, apt. 119N, entrance through the archway at 2, Cheboksarsky Pereulok
Еxcursion By badge“The Life and Work of Mikhail Zoshchenko” tour / Mikhail Zoshchenko Memorial Apartment
This general tour of the Mikhail Zoshchenko memorial apartment introduces visitors to the writer’s biography and his remarkable creative path, from the flourishing of his career to its devastating collapse. You will see how writers lived in the twentieth century, along with the setting of Zoshchenko’s memorial study and his personal belongings.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 14:00 and 17:00. Duration: 1 hour.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 571 7819.
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24 September 12:00 – 18:00
8, Vyazemsky Pereulok
Museum By badgeAnikushin’s Studio / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘In Progress’ exhibition is dedicated to the studio itself and to the creative and technical processes that once took place there and continue to this day.
The studio was constructed in 1969 specifically for work on the city’s monuments. Mikhail Anikushin worked there for almost thirty years. Visitors will get a chance to explore the working space of the monumental sculptor and follow the main stages in the creation of the monument.
What is modelling? What does the framework look like? How many times can a sculpture be enlarged? Interactive zones will help visitors understand the intricacies of a sculptor’s work: visitors to the workshop will be able to look inside a huge head of Lenin, assemble a model of the Cherkasov monument, and see for themselves that even the angle of an arm can alter the mood of the entire piece.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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24 September 12:00 – 13:30
49A, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxcursion By badgeNew Stage of Alexandrinsky Theatre, or 21st Century Theatre
The Alexandrinsky Theatre and Cultural Complex is a unique, multi-purpose theatre centre, which was named after Vsevolod Meyerhold on 30 August 2022.
We invite you to join us on a guided tour, during which theatre guests will have the opportunity to explore the complex’s uniquely laid-out building, including the sound and video recording studio and the training centre. The state-of-the-art technical facilities encourage theatrical experimentation and offer a glimpse into the future of theatre.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 12:00 – 18:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxcursion By badgeExhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: The Battle of Anghiari” / Museum of Christian Culture
A unique exhibition project dedicated to one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous works – The Battle of Anghiari – features an exclusive guided tour programme for guests and participants of the Forum. The exhibition centres on a study of Leonardo da Vinci’s lost mural, created in the early 16th century at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The Battle of Anghiari is regarded as one of the artist’s most innovative works, which has not survived to the present day due to the use of experimental techniques.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a panel on which Leonardo worked out the compositional and colour solutions for his future masterpiece – a unique work that holds the secret characteristic of the master’s art. The project has been initiated by the Museum of Christian Culture – one of St. Petersburg’s most significant spiritual and educational centres – in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
Admission is by session; sessions start daily at 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 18:00.
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24 September 15:00 – 16:30
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Еxcursion By badgeA guided tour of the temporary exhibition ‘Land of Golden Mountains: Celebrating the 270th Anniversary of the Altai People Joining the Russian State’ at the Russian Museum of Ethnography
The tour will introduce visitors to the traditional cultures of the peoples of the Altai Mountains: the Altai-Kizhi, Telengits, Teleuts, Kumandins, Chelkans, and Tubalars. They will learn about the main religious denominations in the region and view rare artifacts from the museum’s collection, including a complete protective ceremonial outfit of an Altai shaman and traditional wedding attire for a horse.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge.
Sign up for the tour by email: excursions@ethnomuseum.ru.
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24 September 16:00 – 17:30
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxcursion By badgeGeneral guided tour of the Derzhavin Museum Estate (Central Wing)
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
On the general guided tour, visitors see the reconstructed interiors of the mansion's Central Wing and three rooms of the Kitchen Wing. The tour of the house is accompanied by an account of the vicissitudes of Derzhavin's life and of his path as a poet and senior statesman.
Forum participants need a badge for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket for the tour. Seating is limited.
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24 September 16:00 – 17:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Concert By ticketPiano Recital by Leonel Morales / St. Petersburg State Academic Capella, Concert Hall
A recital by one of the outstanding pianists of our time, the Cuban-born Spanish artist Leonel Morales, will be among the highlights of the programme of the 12th St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum. His playing carries the finest traditions of the Russian piano school: Morales studied under Frank Fernández, himself a pupil of Viktor Merzhanov, refined his craft in Weimar under Jacob Lateiner, and worked with Mikhail Voskresensky. The programme features works by Albéniz, Barber, Cervantes, and Stravinsky.
Admission by free prior registration on TimePad.
Click to register: kinovcapelle.timepad.ru/event/4176735/.
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24 September 16:00 – 17:30
13, Ulitsa Pravdy, Small Hall (3rd floor, Room 1435)
Event By badgeSt. Petersburg State Institute of Film and Television
Audiences will see an anthology of the best films from the PiterDoc International Youth Documentary Film Festival, held in St. Petersburg for the first time from 7 to 11 April 2026. The festival’s main themes were family values, work, choosing one’s path in life, visions of the future, and culture and tradition.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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24 September 17:00 – 18:20
17, Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya
Еxcursion By ticketGeneral tour of the Museum of the Academy of Arts
During the general tour of the Museum of the Academy of Arts, visitors will see the ‘Academic Museum’ exhibition, which features paintings by Western European masters. These works served as inspiration for the Academy’s students, as well as the finest academic and pensionary works by celebrated graduates of the Academy of Arts: Anton Losenko, Karl Bryullov, Alexander Ivanov, Ilya Repin, Vassily Polenov and others. In the architectural models department, visitors will explore a rare collection of design models created under the guidance of such great masters as Francesco Rastrelli, Antonio Rinaldi, and Auguste de Montferrand. The unique ‘Cast Gallery’ collection, an assembly of plaster casts taken from original works of antique sculpture, will shed light on the methods and distinctive features of instruction within the walls of the Imperial Academy of Arts.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 18:30 – 22:00
12, Karavannaya Ulitsa
Event By invitationFilm Screening: Open Eurasian Film Award ‘Diamond Butterfly’ Nominee / Rodina Cinema Centre
The Russian Cultural Foundation presents a screening of a film nominated for the Open Eurasian Film Award ‘Diamond Butterfly’.
St. Petersburg intellectuals Lyudmila and Igor survived the war as children and now live together. Their days consist of books, walks with their dog Bullet, and looking after each other. Until their young neighbour Polina brings new meaning to their lives. Svetlana Kryuchkova and Alexander Adabashyan won the awards for ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Actor’ at the inaugural ‘Diamond Butterfly’ awards.
The programme includes an official part, a meeting with the creators, and a drinks reception.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 21:00
Saint Petersburg Academic Capella, 20 Moika River Embankment
Concert Tickets purchased independentlyRussian Piano School at the Saint Petersburg Capella
A concert by the ambassadors of the Russian Piano School project. The programme features Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff and Glinka.
Performed by laureates of international competitions.
Admission by ticket.
Tickets are purchased independently on the Capella website and at the city box offices.
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24 September 19:00 – 20:30
49A, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Performance By ticketA Gentle Creature – New Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre
A Gentle Creature by Alejandro Puche (Colombia) and Ma Zhenghong (China) as part of the 17th Alexandrinsky International Theatre Festival:
A Gentle Creature is a contemporary interpretation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s short story with the same name. It premiered in Brazil in spring 2022 and has toured extensively ever since. In Russia, it was featured in the special programme of the International Theatre Olympics as part of the Nauryz Festival in Kazan and the Chekhov International Theatre Festival in Moscow. It was also included under the latter’s auspices in the programme of the Platonov Arts Festival in Voronezh. “The action shifts from Dostoevsky’s St. Petersburg to late 19th-century Rio de Janeiro. The characters are hot-headed and spirited in true Brazilian fashion. Apart from that, the plot remains the same: a young woman – an orphan – comes to a pawnbroker to pledge her family heirlooms because she wants to put up an advertisement looking for work...” (RIA Voronezh). This marks the first time this beautiful, spirited, and lyrical production is being presented in St. Petersburg. “Dostoevsky and Brazil – a combination that seems incredible, bold, and almost impossible. How is a deeply psychological short story by a Russian writer that is so rich in complex philosophical allusions interpreted and staged under the brilliant South American sun? […] It takes enormous dramatic talent to immerse the audience in the production’s atmosphere right from the very start – quite literally grabbing them by the throat when they least expect it” (GITIS Theatre Journal). The directors are long-time GITIS alumni: Alejandro González Puche from Colombia (a student of Anatoly Vasiliev who graduated from Boris Golubovsky’s workshop in 1991) and Ma Zhenghong from China (a student of Pyotr Fomenko, class of 1993). The production’s international team includes actors from Brazil, a lighting designer from Syria, and a dramatic arts consultant from Russia. The play places the audience in Dostoevsky’s world, where the characters’ anxieties, inner struggles, and doubts all intertwine. It explores important themes such as human emotions, social roles, and power. The creators craft a unique theatrical experience by demonstrating that human emotions are universal and can transcend cultural differences.
The production was created in collaboration with the University of Valle (Colombia).
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 20:20
18, Ulitsa Rubinsteina
Performance By ticketLev Dodin’s production of It’s a Family Affair – We’ll Settle It Ourselves / Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe
Comedy. A production by Lev Dodin’s Young Studio based on Alexander Ostrovsky’s play It’s a Family Affair – We’ll Settle It Ourselves
Director: Lev Dodin
Set Designer: Alexander Borovsky
Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov
Premiere: 17 June 2025
Running time: 1 hour 20 minutes (no intermission)
Performed by members of Lev Dodin’s Young Studio.
General Partner of Young Studio and the production: R.A. FUND FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT OF SOCIO-CULTURAL PROJECTS.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 21:20
27, Ulitsa Bolshaya Konyushennaya
Performance By ticketProduction: Noises Off / Arkady Raikin Variety Theatre
Want to take a peek behind the scenes and see what happens during rehearsals? This lively comedy based on the play by Michael Frayn will give you this unique opportunity. Come see Noises Off – a classic farce where nothing goes according to plan, mishaps abound, and the action grows increasingly absurd as the finale approaches.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 21:15
1, Pionerskaya Ploshchad
Performance By ticketAn Ordinary Miracle / Bryantsev Youth Theater
An Ordinary Miracle, directed by Alexey Frandetti, is a fairy-tale love story in which the power of the characters’ feelings ‘reaches such heights that it begins to work real miracles’.
The ‘ordinary miracle’ in the play is love itself. In the story, it brings together people who, at first glance, seem ill-suited to one another: a wizard and a non-magical woman, a bear and a human, practical hunters and frivolous court ladies. It even heals the hurt feelings of lovers who have gone their separate ways. And this miracle, which exists not only in fairy tales, reshuffles people’s lives, and they begin to live their own lives.
Alexey Frandetti, director: “Yevgeny Schwartz’s play, as a truly brilliant piece of work, offers any director a wealth of interpretative possibilities. In our case, I thought it would be interesting to focus on the relationship between the Wizard and the Wife, who have been married for many years. Maintaining a marriage in today’s world is precisely that most ordinary of miracles that is possible between people. On the other hand, I would, of course, like our audience to see a vibrant, heart-warming fairy tale with an incredibly beautiful love story between the Princess and the Bear”.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 21:50
114, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Performance By ticketLast Summer in Chulimsk, a play by Alexander Vampilov / St. Petersburg Youth Theatre on the Fontanka Main Stage
This story from the life of a Taiga regional centre remains as relevant today as Chekhov’s Three Sisters never goes out of date. Amidst the bitter and broken fates of the characters in Vampilov’s play, the story of young Valentina unfolds: she is just beginning her journey through life and is secretly in love with Shamanov. He is an investigator who has recently moved to Chulimsk, a man who has become hardened and is devoid of any illusions. Will Valentina’s sincerity and purity be able to change the familiar course of life in this small town and win the support of those around her?
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 20:30
13, Italianskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketTango of Love Musical performance / Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy
In the production of Tango of Love on stage at the St. Petersburg theatre, Daniel Lapadula, who has dedicated his life to this dance, shares everything he knows about the tango – from its origins in the 1920s, when its rhythms and melodies began to take the dance floors of Buenos Aires by storm, to contemporary interpretations that reflect the spirit of the 21st century. Libertango and Por una cabeza, Milonga sentimental and Oblivion, Carlos Gardel and Astor Piazzolla – for many tango enthusiasts today, these titles and names serve as a gateway to the world of music and dance. Famous compositions and composers, dancers and vocalists who have become icons of the genre are featured in the theatre’s new production in individual numbers, each of which tells a story that reveals a rich tapestry of emotions and characters through movement and music.
12+
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 21:10
4, Aleksandrovsky Park
Performance By ticketThree Men and a Masterpiece Theatre performance / The Baltic House Festival Theatre
Based on Moonlight and Magnolias by Ron Hutchinson.
This is the incredible story behind the creation of a masterpiece of world cinema – Gone with the Wind, starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. It was released in 1939, won eight Oscars and was hailed by critics as the highest-grossing film in American cinema. The making of this brilliant film is still shrouded in legend.
16+
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 20:30
88–90, Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova
Performance By ticketThe Flood. 1824 / Petersburg-Concert
This experimental project by Petersburg-Concert combines music, physical performances, documentary theatre, an immersive show, video art, light projection technology, and digital scenography.
The protagonist of the production is St. Petersburg, or rather, one of the most extraordinary events in its history: the most powerful and destructive flood in the city’s history, which occurred on 19 (7 in the old Julian calendar) November 1824.
This ‘horror concert’ features excerpts from great literature and documentary accounts from contemporaries and eyewitnesses, including letters, memoirs, and entries from diaries and newspaper articles, as well as folklore, gossip, tall tales, and anecdotes. The musical programme features works by Dmitri Shostakovich, Alfred Schnittke, Beat Furrer, David Lang, Samuel Barber, Bernard Herrmann, Max Richter, Antonio Vivaldi, and other composers.
Performers include the Divertissement Chamber Orchestra (Artistic Director: Honoured Artist of Russia Ilya Ioff), the Kannon Dance Company, the Rozhdestvo Ensemble (Artistic Director: Honoured Artist of Russia Olga Stupneva), and soloists and narrators from Petersburg-Concert.
Director: Marina Sen
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 21:30
19, Italyanskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticket“A Threepenny Story” / Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre
The criminal underworld of old England is shrouded in a sense of impending, fateful change. The legendary figure of that underworld, Jack Sheppard, who served as the model for the play’s Macheath, won fame across every stratum of eighteenth-century society, becoming a celebrity and the subject of songs and even sermons.
It is his life that provided the starting point for this new production by Alexey Frandetti at the Komissarzhevskaya Theatre.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 20:30
12, Vladimirsky Prospekt
Performance By ticket“The False Note” / Lensovet St. Petersburg Academic Theatre
“The False Note” was written in 2017 and premiered at the Avignon theatre festival.
A world-famous conductor has just finished a concert at the Geneva Philharmonic and is dissatisfied with his orchestra, irritated and out of sorts. Then an odd, effusive admirer bursts into his dressing room asking for an autograph and showering him with compliments. The encounter will change both their lives, and this duel of two characters, this contest between two personalities, holds the audience in suspense until an unpredictable, thriller-like denouement.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 19:00 – 22:00Performance By ticket
Giselle (ballet) Cuban National Ballet Tour / Mariinsky (Historic Stage)
Giselle occupies a special place in the repertoire of the Cuban National Ballet. It was this ballet, and its outstanding performer Alicia Alonso, that put Cuba on the world ballet map.
On 2 November 1943, Alonso portrayed Giselle for the first time, replacing Alicia Markova in a production by the Ballet Theatre (now the American Ballet Theatre) in New York. Throughout her career, Alonso created many vivid stage images, seamlessly combining expressiveness and flawless technical mastery. But the role of Giselle holds a special place in her body of work. Working on this role for many years, Alonso embodied the experience of generations of ballerinas in her interpretation while simultaneously introducing new elements to the choreography and dramaturgy of the ballet. In her production, she sought to avoid the excessive mysticism that characterized Romantic ballets. Alonso’s choreographic adaptations and her interpretation of the ballet Giselle have been praised by professionals. Her version was part of the Paris Opera’s repertoire from 1972 to 1981.
The Cuban National Ballet is Latin America’s preeminent professional ballet company. Its history is closely linked to the name of Alicia Alonso, as well as to the choreographers Fernando and Alberto Alonso. The company was originally named the Alicia Alonso Ballet, but following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, it received state support and was renamed the Cuban National Ballet. This paved the way for the creation of a professional system for training dancers and making ballet accessible to the general public. The Cuban school of ballet has absorbed the best traditions of the Russian and Italian schools of classical dance. It is characterized by virtuoso technique, emotional expressiveness, and a vibrant stage temperament. Cuba has produced numerous talented artists who have achieved international recognition, and the Cuban National Ballet has become synonymous with high choreographic art. Its main stage is the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of Havana – one of the largest and most beautiful theatres in Cuba. It hosts premieres of productions, international festivals, and performances by world-class ballet stars.
The General Director of the Cuban National Ballet is Viengsay Valdés.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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24 September 20:00 – 22:00
Arkady Raikin Variety Theatre, 27 Bolshaya Konyushennaya Street, Saint Petersburg
Performance By invitationVampilov. The Thaw at the Variety Theatre
A performance from the top 300 of the Golden Fund of Russian theatre productions, based on Alexander Vampilov’s essays.
Owing to the limited number of seats, admission is planned by individual invitation.
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24 September 20:00 – 22:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Concert Self purchaseConcert by the Chelyabinsk Region State Symphony Orchestra of the Chelyabinsk State Academic Philharmonia Artistic Director and Chief Conductor: Alexey Rubin Soloist: Denis Matsuev (piano)
The programme features Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54, in which lyrical depth and subtle feeling are interwoven with intense dramatic writing. The second half brings Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, a work that has become a symbol of endurance and strength of spirit.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the bileter.ru website for ticket information.
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24 September 20:00 – 22:15
6, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Concert By invitationНаименование мероприятия/учреждения культуры: Gala Concert of Boris Eifman’s St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre (in celebration of the choreographer’s anniversary)
2026 is a landmark year for the Boris Eifman St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre, marking the 80th birthday of its founder and artistic director. To celebrate the occasion, the company will present major gala concerts on 24 and 25 September on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre. The carefully crafted dramaturgy of the concerts will trace the Boris Eifman company’s long artistic evolution and the creative vision of its artistic leader. Audiences will have the opportunity to see striking excerpts from the internationally acclaimed plastic psychodramas “Anna Karenina”, “Eugene Onegin”, “Rodin, Her Eternal Idol”, “Pygmalion Effect”, “The Passion According to Molière or The Mask of the Don Juan”, “The Seagull. A Ballet Story”, and other works.
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25 September 06:00 – 22:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Park By badgeGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace Park is one of the most beautiful and enigmatic suburban parks in St. Petersburg. By creating man-made landscapes among natural coniferous forests and erecting park pavilions, the architects and gardeners of the past succeeded in infusing the imperial estates with elements of European architecture and transforming the harsh northern landscape.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 08:00 – 19:45
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Park By badgeAlexandria Park / Peterhof
In 2026, Alexandria Park will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its foundation: it was laid out in 1826 by decree of Emperor Nicholas I and named in honour of his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, to the east of Lower Park. Unlike the formal Lower Park, Alexandria is an English-style landscape park, designed by the architect Adam Menelas and the landscape architect Peter Erler. For almost a century, ‘Her Majesty’s Own Alexandria Country House’ served as a secluded summer residence for four generations of the Romanov imperial family. Today, the park is home to outstanding examples of Romantic architecture – the Cottage Palace, the Farmhouse Palace and the Gothic Chapel – making Alexandria a unique ensemble of Russian Romantic garden and park design. It is part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
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25 September 09:50 – 20:30
Peter and Paul Fortress
Museum By badgeState Museum of the History of St. Petersburg / Peter and Paul Fortress
The State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg is one of the biggest historical museums in Russia. The museum’s collection contains over 1.3 million exhibits, reflecting the history of the city on the Neva from its founding to the present day.
The centerpiece of the museum is the Peter and Paul Fortress, a unique monument of history, architecture, and fortification art of the 18th–20th centuries.
The dominant feature of the architectural ensemble is the Peter and Paul Cathedral – one of the most iconic symbols of St. Petersburg, the burial vault of the Imperial House of Romanov.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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25 September
18 English Embankment, Saint Petersburg
Exhibition Access by badgeThe Best Artisans of Russia Exhibition
The finest masters of decorative and applied art: precious stones, moulded porcelain, embroidery and Florentine mosaic.
Admission with a Forum participant badge. Guided tours can be booked at the information desk.
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25 September 10:00 – 20:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Еxhibition Free admissionSt. Petersburg State Academic Capella, White Hall
An exhibition of the greatest achievements of Russian musical instrument and sound equipment manufacturers
Free entry, no badge required.
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25 September 10:00 – 19:00
17, Nevsky Prospekt
Museum By badgeStroganov Palace / State Russian museum
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Stroganov Palace: the permanent exhibition (the palace halls) and the exhibitions ‘Glass and Stone’, ‘Glass in Sculpture,’ and ‘The Villa of a Russian Patron’.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:00 – 11:30
6, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Еxcursion By invitationThe Splendid Alexandrinsky Theatre (Main Stage)
The Splendid Alexandrinsky Theatre: groups of up to 20 people
The Alexandrinsky Theatre, our country’s oldest state theatre, was once Russia’s principal imperial stage. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to stroll through the Carriage Gallery, visit the Audience Foyer and the Imperial Foyer; admire the sumptuous Audience Hall, take a peek into the Tsar’s Box and hear numerous theatre legends. The ‘Museum of Russian Drama’ on the third tier will introduce visitors to stage costumes, sketches and artefacts from theatre life.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 10:00 – 20:00
Moscow, 21, Tverskaya Ulitsa, Building 1, exhibition hall №3
Еxhibition Self purchase“More Than a Theatre” Project Exhibition / State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (Moscow)
The Franco-Russian Dialogue Association, together with its Russian partners, presents “More Than a Theatre”, a project marking 250 years of Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre.
The project turns its attention to the Bolshoi of today, and specifically to those who serve on Russia’s foremost stage. Distinguished masters of sculpture and painting, among them Oleg Zakomorny, Vadim Kirillov, Viktor Korneev, and Andrei Remnev, have created works capturing the theatre’s outstanding figures: Valery Gergiev, Yury Grigorovich, Makhar Vaziev, Svetlana Zakharova, Denis Rodkin, Vladislav Lantratov, Svetlana Lachina, and many others.
The culmination of the project will be a series of exhibitions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Paris, presenting for the first time the complete collection of works created for it. The project comprises more than 90 pieces: paintings, graphic works, and sculpture.
In Moscow, “More Than a Theatre” will run at the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia from 23 September 2026 to 10 January 2027.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets independently at the Museum’s ticket office. Tickets for the permanent displays and temporary exhibitions go off sale 30 minutes before the Museum closes. Visitors entitled to concessions may obtain their tickets at the ticket office. Those using a free or concessionary ticket must present documentary proof of entitlement at the entrance.
Tickets may be paid for using the Pushkin Card.
Information about guided tours and how to book will be published on the Museum's official website, sovrhistory.ru.
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
94, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki. Entrance to the exhibition from 21, Ulitsa Dekabristov
Еxhibition By invitation“Our Home Reminded Us of a Museum…” Dutch Painting of the 17th–19th Centuries from the Collection of the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate (St. Petersburg Palace of Culture for Education Workers (Yusupov Palace on the Moika)
More than half of the collection of Dutch paintings held by the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate is being presented for the first time. The Nikolaevsky Hall of the Yusupov Palace has been arranged to recreate the setting of the gallery of paintings once owned by the Yusupov princes, featuring furniture and decorative and applied arts from the collection of the Yusupov Palace on the Moika. Twelve of the 28 paintings have returned to the walls of the Palace. The exhibition features paintings by Dutch artists in a variety of genres. The exhibition texts include materials from the hand-drawn catalogue compiled by Prince Yusupov, the founder of one of the richest private art collections.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission on any day from September 24 to 27.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your inviation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
7, Alexandrovsky Park
Еxhibition By badge“Weapons of the Peoples of Russia” Exhibition Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, as part of the Days of Army Culture, the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps will open the exhibition entitled “Weapons of the Peoples of Russia”, featuring more than 130 items from the museum's collections.
Visitors will see a unique collection encompassing the gunsmith’s art of the peoples of the Caucasus, a variety of arms and weaponry of the peoples of Central Asia, and the weapons of the peoples of Siberia and the Far East, most of which are on display for the first time.
The collection began to take shape at the museum during the reign of Empress Elizabeth and has been added to ever since with new pieces reflecting the art of weapon-making among the peoples of Russia.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Tour bookings by telephone: +7 (812) 232 0296
Open 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Museum By badgeThe Derzhavin Museum Estate
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Entry to the Museum Estate exposition without a guided tour, to the exhibitions in the West and East Wings, and to the Estate Garden is by badge.
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
62, Liteyny Prospekt
Еxhibition By badgeINDIVISIBLE: Windows of Memory Multimedia project / Third Place Art Gallery
The multimedia project INDIVISIBLE: Windows of Memory tells the story of the collections of four Crimean museums, which were sent to international exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands in 2013–2014.
An immersive exhibition in St. Petersburg will allow you to delve into Crimea’s past. You will discover how civilizations intertwined here, how eras succeeded one another, and how the Russian state carefully collected, studied and preserved this unique heritage in museum collections. Artefacts from these museums have been lovingly selected and brought together in a single exhibition for two international exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands.
Due to a political decision by the Amsterdam court, the unified exhibition has been split up: the ancient artefacts have never been returned to their homeland. Each exhibit is not merely an object, but a part of our shared memory. When these parts are taken away, history itself is torn apart. The exhibition will serve as a powerful reminder of this truth, which was once considered an immutable principle throughout the civilized world.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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25 September 10:00 – 22:00
4, Inzhenernaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By invitation‘Great Women: Images in Russian Art’ exhibition at Mikhailovsky Palace
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Mikhailovsky Palace: the exhibition ‘Great Women: Images in Russian Art’ (an official exhibition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum), featuring over 300 paintings, sculptures, and graphic portraits of women who lived in the Russian Empire’s capital and made an impact on national history, Russian thought, social norms and manners, and tastes.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 10:00 – 16:45
6, Admiralteysky Proezd
Museum By badgeGorokhovaya 2 State Security Museum
The “Gorokhovaya 2 Department. History of the Political Police and State Security Agencies of Russia from the 19th to the 20th Centuries” of the State Museum of Political History of Russia is situated in a late-18th century mansion built by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi for the president of the medical college, Baron Ivan Fitinghoff. The building was sold to the State Treasury in 1804, becoming the Provincial Government Chambers soon after. Future Decembrists Ivan Pushchin and Kondraty Ryleyev worked as judges in the judicial chamber.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
4A, St. Isaac’s Square
Museum By badgeSt. Isaac’s Cathedral
St. Isaac’s Cathedral (1818–1858, designed by Auguste de Montferrand) – an outstanding example of the synthesis of architecture and monumental decorative art. The cathedral houses a unique collection of monumental religious paintings, as well as over two hundred reliefs, statues, and sculptural groups.
Tour of St. Isaac’s Cathedral no guide, no ascent to the top of the colonnade.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:00 – 17:00
22a, Ulitsa Chkalovа, Gatchina
Museum Self purchasePrioratsky Palace
Prioratsky Palace, resembling a medieval Catholic monastery, was built in 1799 to a design by architect Nikolai Lvov for the Knights of the Order of Malta. It is Russia’s only rammed-earth structure of the late 18th century.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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25 September 10:00 – 17:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Museum Self purchaseGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace was built in the 18th century as a country retreat and hunting lodge for Count Grigory Orlov, a favourite of Catherine II. From 1783 until the Revolution, Gatchina Palace was the property of the imperial family. As you explore the exhibition at your own pace, you will see the restored state rooms of Pavel I era, including the Upper Throne Room and the State Bedchamber, admire the Greek Gallery, and stroll through the romantic underground passage.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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25 September 10:00 – 16:45
7, Ulitsa Sadovaya
Еxcursion By badgeSightseeing tour of the Catherine Palace at the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum and Heritage Site
The exhibition at the Catherine Palace Museum covers the over 300-year history of this outstanding monument and tells about the creativity of the architects who took part in its construction and decoration in the 18–19th centuries, as well as the achievements of the restorers who revived the Palace after the Great Patriotic War.
The Catherine Palace is a wonderful example of Russian baroque, amazing visitors with the luxurious furnishings of the Great Hall and the golden succession of grand reception rooms. These include the world-renowned Amber Room, which has been given new life.
Participants can attend by presenting their badge. You must present your badge at the Church Gates, then go to the Catherine Palace lobby and pick up a free ticket to join the excursions taking place in the museum.
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
14, Ulitsa Pochtamptskaya
Museum By badgeMuseum of the History of Religion
The State Museum of the History of Religion is the only museum in Russia – and one of only a handful of museums in the world – that tells the story of the origin and development of religion. The museum’s collection contains more than 200,000 exhibits, the oldest dating back more than 200 million years. These are historical and cultural monuments from various countries, eras, and peoples: from the Archaic period, ancient Egypt and Israel to the early European Middle Ages; from Ancient Greece and Rome to modern times. Visitors can explore exhibits covering three world religions: Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, as well as Judaism and the national religions of India, China, and Japan.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:00 – 16:45
2–4, Ulitsa Kuibysheva
Museum By badgeThe State Museum of the Political History of Russia / Main museum building
The State Museum of the Political History of Russia is located in the centre of St. Petersburg in historic Art Nouveau mansions that once belonged to the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya and the timber industrialist Vasily Brandt. The museum’s collection includes around half a million items and spans the period of Russian political history from the reign of Catherine II to the present day. Its exhibitions, thematic displays, as well as educational programmes and projects reflect the museum’s mission of demonstrating the continuity of Russian statehood (the Russian Empire, the USSR, and the Russian Federation).
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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25 September 10:00 – 19:00
2, Sadovaya Ulitsa
Museum By badgeMikhailovsky Castle / State Russian Museum
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Mikhailovsky Castle: the museum’s permanent exhibitions, including ‘The 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanov’ and ‘St. Petersburg Society in the Romanov Era’ located in the state and private rooms of Empress Maria Feodorovna; the permanent exhibition ‘Sculpture of the Summer Garden’; an open collection of sculptures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and the ‘National Portrait Gallery’ in the State Rooms of Emperor Paul I.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
1, Ploshchad Alexandra Nevskogo
Museum By badgeNecropolis of the 18th Century / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
There are 184 gravestones within the necropolis, a significant number of which were designed by prominent sculptors and architects and reflect the history of Russian art from the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century.
The Necropolis is the final resting place of the writers Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolay Karamzin, Vassily Zhukovsky, and Ivan Krylov; the composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov; the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya; and the artists Alexander Ivanov, Ivan Shishkin, Arkhin Kuindzhi, and others.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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25 September 10:00 – 18:00
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Museum By badgeRussian Ethnographic Museum
The Russian Ethnographic Museum is one of the largest ethnographic museums in the world. Its collection numbers around 500,000 exhibits. The museum’s permanent displays and exhibitions offer a window into the distinctive material world of the peoples inhabiting the vast expanses of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, and Central Asia. The museum preserves cultural monuments of 157 peoples of Russia and neighbouring countries.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:00 – 17:30
43, Ulitsa Kirochnaya
Museum By badgeState Historical Museum of Alexander Suvorov
The museum was erected in St. Petersburg in honour of Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, built over the period 1901–1904 with the highest permission of Emperor Nicholas II. The Preobrazhensky Regiment provided the site for the museum – part of its parade ground on the corner of Ulitsa Kirochnaya and Ulitsa Tavricheskaya. Both wings of the museum’s main façade are decorated with mosaic paintings by N. Maslennikov and M. Zoshchenko.
Visitors can look around the permanent exhibition dedicated to the life of Alexander Suvorov.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:00 – 17:30
9, Solyanoy Pereulok
Museum By badgeState Memorial Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad
The museum is a national repository for the preservation of historical memory: thousands of exhibits were donated by veterans and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad. The collection contains more than 54,000 items – everything from weapons and photographs to manuscripts and works of art. Located on Solyanoy Pereulok, the museum combines documentary evidence of the Siege with modern technology, helping visitors grasp the scale of the tragedy and the magnitude of the heroism of the city’s defenders.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
For guided tours, advance booking is available by phone: +7 (812) 275 7547.
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25 September 10:00 – 19:00
32/1, Ulitsa Basseynaya
Museum By badge“Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre
The “Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre is a modern exhibition space with permanent multimedia exhibits that present the periods of Russian history under the Rurik and Romanov dynasties. The history of St. Petersburg is told in the “St. Petersburg. History and Development” multimedia exhibit and the “My Petersburg” exhibit.
The Museum and Exhibition Centre also regularly hosts various temporary exhibitions and events.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:30 – 17:30
53, Liteyny Prospekt
Museum By badgeAnna Akhmatova State Literary and Memorial Museum in Fountain House
A private visit to the literary and memorial exhibition of the Anna Akhmatova Museum in Fountain House.
Anna Akhmatova lived in Fountain House, in the apartment of the famous art historian and avant-garde theorist Nikolai Punin, for almost 30 years.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 10:30 – 17:00
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Museum By badgeFarmhouse Palace / Peterhof
The Farmhouse Palace is one of the architectural landmarks of Alexandria Park, which forms part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve. The palace derives its unusual name from the ‘Ten-Cow Farm’, built in the early 1830s by the architect Adam Menelas as a summer residence for Emperor Nicholas I. Over the following decades, the modest country pavilion was rebuilt on several occasions under the direction of the architect Andrey Stakenschneider and, by the late 1850s, had been transformed into a fully-fledged palace in the ‘English Gothic’ style. The country palace became the favourite summer residence of Emperor Alexander II and his family, and its appearance and interiors reflect not the ceremonial side, but the private, domestic life of the ruling dynasty. The halls and memorial rooms preserve the atmosphere of family life at the imperial court in the mid-19th century.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 11:00 – 18:30
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxhibition By badge“In the Theatre Designer’s Studio” Exhibition / Sheremetyevsky Palace – The Museum of Music
The exhibition is devoted to the singular space in which a production’s visual identity is born. It is a space usually closed to outside eyes, but the Museum of Theatre and Music is lifting the veil on its closely guarded secrets.
The aim of the exhibition is to take visitors on a journey into the world of stage design and to draw attention to the work of the theatre designer, who reveals a production’s conception and atmosphere through sets, costumes, and props. By the nature of the art form, audiences never see the creator, only the results of the work.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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25 September 11:00 – 18:30
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxhibition By badge“In the Theatre Designer’s Studio” Exhibition / Sheremetyevsky Palace – The Museum of Music
The exhibition is devoted to the singular space in which a production’s visual identity is born. It is a space usually closed to outside eyes, but the Museum of Theatre and Music is lifting the veil on its closely guarded secrets.
The aim of the exhibition is to take visitors on a journey into the world of stage design and to draw attention to the work of the theatre designer, who reveals a production’s conception and atmosphere through sets, costumes, and props. By the nature of the art form, audiences never see the creator, only the results of the work.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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25 September 11:00 – 17:00
30, Rasstannaya Ulitsa
Museum By badgeLiteratorskie Mostki Necropolis / State Museum of Urban Sculpture
Since 1939, the Literatorskie Mostki Necropolis has been a branch of the State Museum of Urban Sculpture. It takes its name from one of the paths leading to the graves of the celebrated nineteenth-century literary critics Vissarion Belinsky, Nikolai Dobrolyubov, and Dmitry Pisarev.
Occupying the northern part of the Volkovskoye Orthodox Cemetery, the necropolis became the final resting place both of outstanding writers and scholars of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and of well-known figures of our own day. Buried here are some of the most distinguished names in literature, among them Ivan Turgenev, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Alexander Blok, and Olga Berggolts; the eminent scientists Dmitry Mendeleev, Ivan Pavlov, and Alexander Popov; the masters of stage and screen Nikolai Akimov, Grigori Kozintsev, Vladislav Strzhelchik, and Efim Kopelyan; the composers Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi and Valery Gavrilin; and many others.
What gives the necropolis’s collection of memorials its particular artistic character is that, alongside works by such well-known nineteenth-century sculptors as Robert Bach and Leopold Bernstamm, it also holds a substantial body of Soviet-era memorial sculpture, including works by Mikhail Anikushin, Matvey Manizer, Vladimir Ingal, and Igor Krestovsky.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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25 September 11:00 – 20:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition by the Grekov Studio of Military Artists “Horizons of Russia”
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, the Grekov Studio of Military Artists presents the exhibition “Horizons of Russia”, bringing together 18 paintings created by the Studio’s artists over a number of years. The artists represented include Oleg Avakimyan, Dmitry Belyukin, Ekaterina Kamynina, Polina Mineeva, Sergei Prisekin, Alexei Semyonov, Egor Smirnov, Ekaterina Solovyeva, Alexander Syrov, and Alexei Fyodorov.
At the heart of the exhibition is an image of Russia revealed through the diversity of its landscapes and historic places.
The works on display invite visitors on an artistic journey across the country. They will see many different corners of the homeland: the northern territories and the islands of the White Sea, central Russia, historic country estates and monastery ensembles, the mountains of the Caucasus, and the wide expanses of Crimea.
A special place in the exposition is held by Ekaterina Kamynina’s triptych “Northern Wonders”, devoted to the harsh yet poetic landscape of the Russian North.
The theme of the unity of the peoples of Russia is explored through the diversity of territories and images that make up the country’s single cultural space, forming a coherent image of a Russia united by a shared history and culture.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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25 September 11:00 – 18:30
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Museum By badgeSheremetev Palace – Museum of Music
Since 1990, Sheremetev Palace has been one of the branches of the St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music. The Museum of Music is being established within the palace, centred around Russia’s largest collection of musical instruments from around the world.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
To book a tour, call (812) 272 4441.
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25 September 11:00 – 18:00
2A, Ulitsa Zodchego Rossi
Museum By badgeTheatre Museum
The Theatre Museum is located within one of St. Petersburg’s most beautiful architectural ensembles, designed by the brilliant Carlo Rossi specifically for the Directorate of the Imperial Theatres. The Museum’s collection is based on the private collections of actors Maria Savina and Ivan Gorbunov, playwright Viktor Protopopov, and patron and collector Levkiy Zheverzheev (who later became the Museum’s first deputy director for research). The Theatre Museum opened to the public on 16 May 1921 and has been one of the centres of St. Petersburg’s theatrical life ever since. The Theatre Museum currently hosts several permanent exhibitions. The exhibition ‘Theatre Legends of St. Petersburg’ has twice been awarded the highest museum prize, the ‘Museum Olympus’ (in 2009 and 2011). At its heart are rare items linked to the history of Russian theatre from the 18th to the 20th century: sumptuous costumes crafted in the workshops of the imperial theatres, portraits of great actors, pointe shoes belonging to famous ballerinas, models and sketches by Benois, Bakst, Golovin, Malevich, Tatlin and many others.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
For inquiries: Anna Laskina, cell +7 (911) 945 5483.
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25 September 11:00 – 20:00
1A, 18 Liniya V.O.
Museum By badgeSt. Petersburg State Roerich Family Museum and Institute
St. Petersburg State Roerich Family Museum and Institute is dedicated to a constellation of great cultural figures: artist and traveller Nikolai Roerich, his wife – philosopher and writer – Elena Roerich, and their sons: orientalist Yuri Roerich and artist Svyatoslav Roerich. The museum is located on Vasilyevsky Island, in the historic mansion of scholar and collector Mikhail Botkin, which Nikolai Roerich visited on numerous occasions. The museum was founded by Lyudmila Mitusova, a niece of Elena Roerich. It was conceived as a research centre dedicated to studying the legacy of our great compatriots.
It offers visitors a variety of cultural events, a permanent exhibition, temporary exhibitions, children’s programmes, festivals, concerts, creative evenings, conferences, plays, and performances.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 11:00 – 17:30
2/5, Ulitsa Dostoevskogo
Museum By badgeF.M. Dostoevsky Literary-Memorial Museum
The museum is located in the building that housed the apartment writer spent his final years. It features a memorial apartment, the Literary exhibition Fyodor Dostoevsky. Life and Work: Pro et Contra, pop-up exhibitions, a photo project by members of the group ‘St. Petersburg: Get to Know the Place’, and a solo exhibition by the artist Valentin Levitin.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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25 September 11:00 – 21:00
35, Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’ / ROSPHOTO State Museum and Exhibition Centre
The exhibition project ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’, which was organized with the support of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Ministry of Culture, is dedicated to the history of Russian industrial and art exhibitions. These unique events served as major showcases for the country’s economic, scientific, and cultural achievements between 1829 and 1896. The exhibition focuses on the 16th All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition held in Nizhny Novgorod in 1896, an event of unprecedented scale that surpassed even the famous 1889 World’s Fair in Paris and the 1882 All-Russian Exhibition in Moscow in terms of its scope and significance. It marked the pinnacle of the country’s industrial and creative ascension and served as a visual recap of Russia’s development throughout the 19th century.
The display includes unique photographs, rare presentation albums, and archival publications from the collections of ROSPHOTO, the Nizhny Novgorod State Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve, the Russian Museum of Photography, the Institute for the History of Material Culture and the Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and various private collections. These items not only showcase the outstanding engineering and artistic achievements of the era, but also enable visitors to experience the spirit of a time defined by great transformation.
Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
Guided tours are available by prior appointment. Please book by calling +7 (911) 240 2916 (Mon–Fri, 10:00–18:00) or emailing excursion@rosphoto.org (at least two days before the planned visit for groups of 5 to 15 people).
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25 September 11:00 – 16:30
1, Ploshchad Stachek
Museum By badgeNarva Triumphal Arch / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘The Bronze Knight’ exhibition is not so much about the metal itself and the techniques used to work with it, but rather about making the most of the material’s potential and the artist’s search for the ideal means of realizing their vision. A recurring theme is the relationship between craftsmanship and creativity in artistic practices of the 19th century and the present day, as well as society’s perception of the artist during these two distinct historical periods.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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25 September 11:00 – 19:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition: ‘Early Rembrandt: The Lost Masterpiece. The Baptism of the Eunuch by the Apostle Philip’ / Museum of Christian Culture
The Museum of Christian Culture is a spiritual and educational centre which celebrated the 5th anniversary of its opening in May 2026. The museum’s collection features artefacts of world culture dating from the early centuries of Christianity to the present day: Russian icons from the Modern Era, paintings by famous artists, including works by Botticelli, Luini, Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael, and other outstanding masters; jewellery from the House of Fabergé; antique books and pilgrimage relics; and antique artefacts.
As part of the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum, a unique exhibition project is being presented, dedicated to one of the most outstanding figures in Dutch painting – Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. At the heart of the exhibition is a work long thought to be lost: Rembrandt’s painting The Baptism of the Eunuch by the Apostle Philip. This work is a unique example of the great artist’s early period and the development of his painting style.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
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25 September 12:00 – 18:00
Russian Academy of Sciences Library, 1 Birzhevaya Line, Saint Petersburg
Festival Access by ticketDays of Papua New Guinea in Saint Petersburg Festival
A scholarly, cultural and business programme with the Journey to the Maclay Coast exhibition and documentary screenings.
Admission by ticket.
Confirm your participation in the Unified Personal Account and collect the ticket at the Culture Festival desk.
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25 September 12:00 – 13:30
49A, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxcursion By badgeNew Stage of Alexandrinsky Theatre, or 21st Century Theatre
The Alexandrinsky Theatre and Cultural Complex is a unique, multi-purpose theatre centre, which was named after Vsevolod Meyerhold on 30 August 2022.
We invite you to join us on a guided tour, during which theatre guests will have the opportunity to explore the complex’s uniquely laid-out building, including the sound and video recording studio and the training centre. The state-of-the-art technical facilities encourage theatrical experimentation and offer a glimpse into the future of theatre.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 12:00 – 20:00
1, St. Isaac’s Square
Еxhibition By badge‘The Stage’ exhibition / Manege Museum and Exhibition Complex
‘The Stage’ exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of the National Theatre Society. It is a large-scale project exploring the theatre, its conventions and its key figures – personalities, the theatre community as a whole and, of course, the audience. This is not just a linear account of Russian theatre development, but an attempt to convey the emotional experience of a performance through painting, graphic art, sculpture and video art. The exhibition will feature productions that have been landmark events in Russian theatre, with a focus on their historical and social context.
Forum participants can attend by presenting their badge.
Tours are available with general admission. To book a tour, please send an email to tour@manege.spb.ru (please state your preferred tour date in the subject of your email, and include your contact telephone number in the body of the email).
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25 September 12:00 – 18:00
8, Vyazemsky Pereulok
Museum By badgeAnikushin’s Studio / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘In Progress’ exhibition is dedicated to the studio itself and to the creative and technical processes that once took place there and continue to this day.
The studio was constructed in 1969 specifically for work on the city’s monuments. Mikhail Anikushin worked there for almost thirty years. Visitors will get a chance to explore the working space of the monumental sculptor and follow the main stages in the creation of the monument.
What is modelling? What does the framework look like? How many times can a sculpture be enlarged? Interactive zones will help visitors understand the intricacies of a sculptor’s work: visitors to the workshop will be able to look inside a huge head of Lenin, assemble a model of the Cherkasov monument, and see for themselves that even the angle of an arm can alter the mood of the entire piece.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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25 September 12:00 – 20:30
Cathedral Square of Peter and Paul Fortress
Festival Free admissionThe 6th ‘Silver Necklace’ Festival – North-West Region Folk Culture Days in St. Petersburg, featuring international participants. Organized by the St. Petersburg House of Folk Art, with the support of the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture
During the 12th St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures, ‘United Cultures – Shared Values’, supported by the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture, the 6th ‘Silver Necklace’ Festival will take place on 25–26 September 2026 on Cathedral Square at the Peter and Paul Fortress – Days of Folk Culture of the North-West Region in St. Petersburg, with international participation.
As part of the ‘Silver Necklace’ project programme, a grand festive concert will be held, centred on St. Petersburg’s cultural identity, which unites all the peoples of the North-West into a single tapestry of traditions. The festival’s main stage will host performances by the finest amateur arts groups from the North-West Federal District, as well as from the Republic of Belarus, Mariupol (the twin city of St. Petersburg), the city of Luhansk, and the city of Krasnoyarsk. A highlight of the project will be the youth programme – the 3rd Folk Art Festival, where participants will present folk art in a contemporary format, reinterpreting traditional Russian cultural codes in a fresh way. As part of the ‘Silver Necklace’ festival, the ‘Artisans’ Fair’ will take place as usual, alongside numerous masterclasses. The event’s business programme will feature a panel discussion entitled ‘The Uniqueness of the Northern Cultural Code’, dedicated to the celebration of the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and the Year of St. Petersburg Culture.
Free admission. To contact regarding any inquiries: +7 (812) 766 6300.
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25 September 12:00 – 18:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxcursion By badgeExhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: The Battle of Anghiari” / Museum of Christian Culture
A unique exhibition project dedicated to one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous works – The Battle of Anghiari – features an exclusive guided tour programme for guests and participants of the Forum. The exhibition centres on a study of Leonardo da Vinci’s lost mural, created in the early 16th century at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The Battle of Anghiari is regarded as one of the artist’s most innovative works, which has not survived to the present day due to the use of experimental techniques.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a panel on which Leonardo worked out the compositional and colour solutions for his future masterpiece – a unique work that holds the secret characteristic of the master’s art. The project has been initiated by the Museum of Christian Culture – one of St. Petersburg’s most significant spiritual and educational centres – in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
Admission is by session; sessions start daily at 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 18:00.
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25 September 15:00 – 16:30
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Еxcursion By badgeA guided tour of the temporary exhibition ‘Land of Golden Mountains: Celebrating the 270th Anniversary of the Altai People Joining the Russian State’ at the Russian Museum of Ethnography
The tour will introduce visitors to the traditional cultures of the peoples of the Altai Mountains: the Altai-Kizhi, Telengits, Teleuts, Kumandins, Chelkans, and Tubalars. They will learn about the main religious denominations in the region and view rare artifacts from the museum’s collection, including a complete protective ceremonial outfit of an Altai shaman and traditional wedding attire for a horse.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge.
Sign up for the tour by email: excursions@ethnomuseum.ru.
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25 September 15:00 – 16:00
1A, Millionnaya Ulitsa
Concert By ticketConcert by the St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture’s Folk Instruments Orchestra
The St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture is one of Russia’s oldest and largest higher education institutions specializing in culture. It was here that many degree programmes and areas of study, as well as pedagogical and creative schools, were established – all of which are now in high demand both in Russia and internationally.
The St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture’s Folk Instruments Orchestra, led by Andrey Dikoyev – Head of the Department of Folk Instrumental Art and winner of Russian and international competitions – will perform pieces from world-famous films by Georgiy Danelia, Nikita Mikhalkov, Federico Fellini, and other renowned directors in the historic interiors of the White Hall of Saltikov’s Mansion (designed by Giacomo Quarengi).
Audiences will be able to appreciate the artistry of the arrangements and enjoy music from their favourite films.
The venue is open to visits from 14:30 to 16:30.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 16:00 – 17:30
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxcursion By badgeGeneral guided tour of the Derzhavin Museum Estate (Central Wing)
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
On the general guided tour, visitors see the reconstructed interiors of the mansion's Central Wing and three rooms of the Kitchen Wing. The tour of the house is accompanied by an account of the vicissitudes of Derzhavin's life and of his path as a poet and senior statesman.
Forum participants need a badge for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket for the tour. Seating is limited.
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25 September 17:00 – 18:20
17, Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya
Еxcursion By ticketGeneral tour of the Museum of the Academy of Arts
During the general tour of the Museum of the Academy of Arts, visitors will see the ‘Academic Museum’ exhibition, which features paintings by Western European masters. These works served as inspiration for the Academy’s students, as well as the finest academic and pensionary works by celebrated graduates of the Academy of Arts: Anton Losenko, Karl Bryullov, Alexander Ivanov, Ilya Repin, Vassily Polenov and others. In the architectural models department, visitors will explore a rare collection of design models created under the guidance of such great masters as Francesco Rastrelli, Antonio Rinaldi, and Auguste de Montferrand. The unique ‘Cast Gallery’ collection, an assembly of plaster casts taken from original works of antique sculpture, will shed light on the methods and distinctive features of instruction within the walls of the Imperial Academy of Arts.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 17:00 – 20:30
Cathedral Square of Peter and Paul Fortress
Festival Free admission3rd Folk Art Festival Organized by the Young Culture Art Residency at the St. Petersburg House of Folk Art, a branch of the ‘Tavrida’ art cluster, with the support of the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture
On 25 September 2026, as part of the ‘Silver Necklace’ project celebrating the folk culture of the North-West region, the 3rd Folk Art Festival will take place on Cathedral Square at the Peter and Paul Fortress during the 12th St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures, ‘United Cultures – Shared Values’. Now established as one of St. Petersburg’s leading folk art festivals with a contemporary twist, this project is bringing new talent to the fore: young artists who are reinterpreting the Russian cultural code, introducing new musical styles – from folk-electronica to urban folk – and finding a new language to express centuries-old meanings through music, dance, clothing, craftsmanship and new technologies. The Folk Art Festival is an event where folk traditions take on a new sound, and contemporary art enters into a dialogue with cultural heritage. The programme for the third festival includes: a grand concert featuring talented young artists – the winners of the ‘Folk Art’ Open Youth Competition, residents of the Young Culture Art Residency, and guest groups from the North-West Federal District and other regions of Russia; an art market featuring young craftspeople specialising in souvenirs and fashion designers working with cultural motifs; a VR exhibition of St. Petersburg’s intangible cultural heritage, ‘Legends and Folklore of St Petersburg’; masterclasses on traditional crafts with a modern twist; digital activities and interactive experiences. The festival is being held as part of the celebrations marking the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and the Year of St. Petersburg Culture.
To contact regarding any inquiries: +7 (812) 766 6300.
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25 September 19:00 – 21:00
35, Ulitsa Mokhovaya
Performance By invitationA performance of Khanuma / Na Mokhovoy Student Theatre
Where: At the Na Mokhovoy Student Theatre at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, where aspiring actors present their productions.
What: The vaudeville comedy Khanuma, performed by students of the Faculty of Musical Theatre and Variety Arts.
The audience will be immersed in the atmosphere of an authentic Georgian feast, complete with songs, dances, and toasts galore! All this topped with a generous helping of the youthful energy that has made the Student Theatre famous.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
Admission is free upon presentation of an invitation ticket at the house manager’s window before the start of the performance. Doors open 30 minutes before the start of the performance.
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25 September 19:00 – 21:20
27, Ulitsa Bolshaya Konyushennaya
Performance By ticketProduction: Noises Off / Arkady Raikin Variety Theatre
Want to take a peek behind the scenes and see what happens during rehearsals? This lively comedy based on the play by Michael Frayn will give you this unique opportunity. Come see Noises Off – a classic farce where nothing goes according to plan, mishaps abound, and the action grows increasingly absurd as the finale approaches.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 22:00
18, Ulitsa Rubinsteina
Performance By ticketLev Dodin’s production of Uncle Vanya / Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe
Production based on Anton Chekhov’s play Uncle Vanya
Director: Lev Dodin
Set Designer: David Borovsky
Premiere: 29 April 2003
Duration: 3 hours (including one intermission)
Cast: I. Ivanov, Y. Boyarskaya, Y. Tarasova, S. Kuryshev, I. Chernevich, O. Ryazantsev, N. Akimova, V. Bykova, M. Titorenko.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 21:40
33, Galernaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketComic opera: The Secret Marriage / St. Petersburg Chamber Opera Music Theatre
The ‘St Petersburg Opera’ Theatre presents Domenico Cimarosa’s opera The Secret Marriage, a fast-paced production featuring the exquisite music of the Baroque era, based on a comedy of tangled romantic and matrimonial intrigues. The production satirizes both the bourgeois desire to acquire a noble son-in-law and the impoverished nobility who trade their title. Audiences can look forward to a lively, sparkling story with a witty plot, brought to life through a masterful musical interpretation.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 21:30
114, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Performance By ticketLove after Life, a play by José Sanchis Sinisterra / St. Petersburg Youth Theatre on the Fontanka Main Stage
The play is set in March 1938 in the Spanish town of Belchite, which has come to symbolise a terrible fratricidal war. But it is not the war that lies at the heart of the dramatic events, but rather the relationship between the ordinary, far-from-famous actors Carmelita and Paulino, who, with their ‘Elegant Variety Show’, are forced to perform for captive soldiers in the occupied town. Only one of them survives, and, having lost the person dearest to him, he is forced to adapt to life. This is a heart-wrenching love story that vividly depicts the experiences of a man and a woman whose happiness is disrupted by fate.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 21:30
1, Pionerskaya Ploshchad
Performance By ticketThe Seagull / Bryantsev Youth Theatre
The Seagull, written by Chekhov in 1895–96, was first staged in 1896 at the Alexandrinsky Theatre. It then enjoyed a triumphant run in 1898 at the Moscow Art Theatre, where the renowned Konstantin Stanislavsky and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko worked on the production. Over the course of its 130-year history, the play has been staged hundreds of times in theatres across Russia and abroad: the author’s ideas have lost none of their relevance in either the 20th or the 21st century. Chekhov himself described The Seagull as a comedy, but beneath the play’s outward appearance lies the tragedy of its characters’ fates, as well as immense artistic depth and layers of meaning that directors continue to strive to unravel to this day.
Pavel Safonov, director: “As I reflect on what I have filled our Seagull with, I realize: first and foremost, with empathy for those people who failed to hear what mattered most in time, and with tenderness towards feelings as delicate as graceful, fragile flowers. This is a story about the pursuit and necessity of freedom. It is about how, without it, all creativity becomes a routine in which the soul of any artist perishes, just like the Seagull. The characters, just like us, lived their lives hoping to find meaning, whilst trying to understand what really matters. Perhaps the very idea of a single World Soul was the most important of all, but it faded away, lost amidst the endless clamour of words, jealousy, resentment, the pursuit of career success, and the bitterness of loss. And yet it – this soul of the world – may well actually exist! This is precisely what we wish to remind people of in our Seagull”.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 21:20
65, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Performance By ticketGlory / Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre
At the heart of Viktor Gusev’s ‘play about good people’ lies the story of two friends, the engineer-pilots Motylkov and Mayak, who must risk their own lives to save the city from an impending avalanche. Motylkov is in love; he is set to marry the pilot Lena Medvedeva and dreams of a happy family life and children, rather than the posthumous title of hero that the avalanche might bring. His friend, Mayak, on the other hand, wants to prove himself a hero, battle the elements and achieve nationwide fame.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 22:05
13, Italianskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketCountess Maritza Operetta by Emmerich Kálman / Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy
Maritza, a wealthy and headstrong beauty, arrives at her estate, where she meets – and later falls in love with – Tassillo, the poor steward of her estate. Not long ago, he – the once-wealthy and well-to-do young Count Erdedi – having squandered his entire fortune, was forced to sell the family castle and, under an assumed name, become the steward of what was once his own estate, now belonging to Countess Maritza.… In the meantime, to get rid of her pesky suitors, she announces her engagement to Mr. Župan. This innocent lie gives rise to a host of unexpected situations and absurdities …
12+
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 20:30
88–90, Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova
Performance By ticketVrubel. Downcast / Petersburg-Concert
Petersburg-Concert presents the mystical concert performance VRUBEL. DOWNCAST, which marks the 170th anniversary of the artist’s birth. Audiences will witness and take part in this grand aesthetic event that is somewhere between art and confession, where symphonic music, artistic expression, vocals, physical theatre, and light projections all come together to convey the singular, restless spirit of the times.
The production revolves around Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel, a Symbolist artist of the late 19th–early 20th century, who, amidst a worsening psychological illness, pieces himself back together from letters, memories, and his own epiphanies.
The music of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Anton Rubinstein, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Antonín Dvořák, and other composers will be performed by the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Pavel Petrenko), soloists Anastasia Simanskaya (soprano) and Kirill Zharovin (baritone), and the St. Petersburg Chamber Choir.
Participants include: documentary theatre actors Vitalia Vasilyeva, Dmitry Dmitriev, Mikhail Kozhevnikov, Nikolay Zverev, and Timofey Parikov; and physical performance artist Daniil Zimin.
Creative team:
Scriptwriter and curator: Varvara Strizhak
Director: Svetlana Nikolaeva
Producer: Yekaterina Artyushkina
Video art: Fyodor Popov
Set designer: Sofya Masterova
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 20:30
19, Italyanskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketGuest Performances by the Mariupol Republican Academic Russian Drama Theatre, Awarded the Order of the Badge of Honour, at the Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre “An April Romance”
“An April Romance” is a piercing drama about fragile femininity and the indomitable strength of the human spirit. The action takes place in a rear evacuation hospital in the spring of 1945. Against the backdrop of an approaching Victory, the play reveals the fates of four young women who volunteered to exchange their school dresses for army greatcoats. The war changed their lives forever, but it did not break their will, nor did it rob them of their faith in people or their hope of happiness.
A light, gentle sadness, soft humour, and unexpected dramatic turns are interwoven in this story of a generation that preserved its tenderness and humanity in the midst of war.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 22:10
12, Vladimirsky Prospekt
Performance By ticket“An Ordinary Story” / Lensovet St. Petersburg Academic Theatre
Ivan Goncharov’s novel “An Ordinary Story” tells of a young man’s coming of age as he takes his first uncertain steps in the wider world. Each of us remembers the first difficulties of adult life: the first job, the first journeys, the first relationships, the first dreams broken against reality, and the first temptations.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 19:00 – 21:00
34, Ulitsa Dekabristov
Concert By invitationA concert featuring accomplished artists and outstanding young soloists from Russia, Australia, France, and South Korea / Mariinsky II
The concert at the Mariinsky II Theatre will bring together acclaimed masters and outstanding young soloists – winners of major international competitions from Russia, Australia, France, and South Korea – on one stage. Maestro Valery Gergiev will take the helm of the renowned Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra, and winners of the Rachmaninoff International Competition for Pianists, Composers and Conductors Clément Nonciaux and Oleg Khudyakov will also conduct. The programme features masterpieces of 19th- and 20th-century music, with the evening’s central theme being a tribute to the 120th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s birth. The artistic director of the project, Denis Matsuev, will perform Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1, with Valery Gergiev conducting.
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25 September 19:30 – 22:30
Mariinsky Theatre, 1 Theatre Square, Saint Petersburg
Ballet By invitationBallet Evening on the Historic Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre
A gala evening with the leading soloists of the ballet company, featuring excerpts from classical and contemporary productions.
Admission by individual invitation of the Organising Committee.
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25 September 19:30 – 21:30
19, Italyanskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticket“White Nights” / Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre
Ivan Shalaev’s production of “White Nights” is a story about the search for equilibrium. About reaching for another person when you have found no footing in yourself. About love as a lifebelt that can keep you afloat but may also carry you out to open sea. The stage is a city of sharp contrasts. Black-and-white graphics dissolve into watercolour; still water comes alive to the rhythm of breathing. The characters balance on the edge between light and shadow, hope and despair, what seems eternal and what lasts a single moment.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 20:00 – 22:15
6, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Concert By invitationНаименование мероприятия/учреждения культуры: Gala Concert of Boris Eifman’s St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre (in celebration of the choreographer’s anniversary)
2026 is a landmark year for the Boris Eifman St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre, marking the 80th birthday of its founder and artistic director. To celebrate the occasion, the company will present major gala concerts on 24 and 25 September on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre. The carefully crafted dramaturgy of the concerts will trace the Boris Eifman company’s long artistic evolution and the creative vision of its artistic leader. Audiences will have the opportunity to see striking excerpts from the internationally acclaimed plastic psychodramas “Anna Karenina”, “Eugene Onegin”, “Rodin, Her Eternal Idol”, “Pygmalion Effect”, “The Passion According to Molière or The Mask of the Don Juan”, “The Seagull. A Ballet Story”, and other works.
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25 September 20:00 – 21:15
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Concert By ticket“Rachmaninoff. Symphonic Dances” Concert Tomsk Academic Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Igor Berendeev St. Petersburg State Academic Capella
A concert by the oldest orchestra in Siberia, the Tomsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, marking a double anniversary: 80 years of the orchestra and of the Tomsk Regional State Philharmonia.
The centrepiece of the programme is Rachmaninoff's “Symphonic Dances” in a classic reading. The concert opens with two landmark symphonic poems, “Song of Tomsk” and “Scarlet Sails”, by the well-known Tomsk composer Konstantin Lakin, whose creative path was shaped by Dmitri Shostakovich and whose work was held in high regard by Edison Denisov. A presenter’s commentary and a specially prepared video sequence will allow the St. Petersburg public and the Forum’s guests to immerse themselves in the culture, history, and atmosphere of this old Siberian city, often called the Athens of Siberia or a little St. Petersburg.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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25 September 20:00 – 22:00
2, Ulitsa Mikhaylovskaya
Concert By ticketSeason opening to mark the 120th anniversary of the birth of Dmitri Shostakovich (Gioachino Rossini. Overture to the opera William Tell; Sergey Prokofiev. Piano Concierto No. 3; Dmitry Shostakovich. Symphony No. 15) / St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonic
The St. Petersburg Philharmonic will be opening its concert season on the birthday of Dmitri Shostakovich – the name it proudly bears. On 25 September the Honored Ensemble of Russia will perform on the stage of the Grand Hall under the direction of the Philharmonic’s principal conductor, People’s Artist of Russia Nikolay Alexeev.
On the 120th anniversary of the composer’s birth, his final work, Symphony No. 15, will be performed. The piece premiered in this very hall on 5 May 1972, performed by the Honored Ensemble and conducted by Evgeny Mravinsky, in the presence of the composer himself.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 06:00 – 22:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Park By badgeGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace Park is one of the most beautiful and enigmatic suburban parks in St. Petersburg. By creating man-made landscapes among natural coniferous forests and erecting park pavilions, the architects and gardeners of the past succeeded in infusing the imperial estates with elements of European architecture and transforming the harsh northern landscape.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 08:00 – 19:45
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Park By badgeAlexandria Park / Peterhof
In 2026, Alexandria Park will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its foundation: it was laid out in 1826 by decree of Emperor Nicholas I and named in honour of his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, to the east of Lower Park. Unlike the formal Lower Park, Alexandria is an English-style landscape park, designed by the architect Adam Menelas and the landscape architect Peter Erler. For almost a century, ‘Her Majesty’s Own Alexandria Country House’ served as a secluded summer residence for four generations of the Romanov imperial family. Today, the park is home to outstanding examples of Romantic architecture – the Cottage Palace, the Farmhouse Palace and the Gothic Chapel – making Alexandria a unique ensemble of Russian Romantic garden and park design. It is part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
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26 September 09:50 – 20:30
Peter and Paul Fortress
Museum By badgeState Museum of the History of St. Petersburg / Peter and Paul Fortress
The State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg is one of the biggest historical museums in Russia. The museum’s collection contains over 1.3 million exhibits, reflecting the history of the city on the Neva from its founding to the present day.
The centerpiece of the museum is the Peter and Paul Fortress, a unique monument of history, architecture, and fortification art of the 18th–20th centuries.
The dominant feature of the architectural ensemble is the Peter and Paul Cathedral – one of the most iconic symbols of St. Petersburg, the burial vault of the Imperial House of Romanov.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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26 September
Palace Square, Saint Petersburg
Evening programme Access by badgePetersburg Seasons Evening Programme
Music and theatre events on the open-air stages of the historic city centre.
Admission with a Forum participant badge.
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26 September 10:00 – 19:00
17, Nevsky Prospekt
Museum By badgeStroganov Palace / State Russian museum
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Stroganov Palace: the permanent exhibition (the palace halls) and the exhibitions ‘Glass and Stone’, ‘Glass in Sculpture,’ and ‘The Villa of a Russian Patron’.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 10:00 – 22:00
4, Inzhenernaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By invitation‘Great Women: Images in Russian Art’ exhibition at Mikhailovsky Palace
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Mikhailovsky Palace: the exhibition ‘Great Women: Images in Russian Art’ (an official exhibition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum), featuring over 300 paintings, sculptures, and graphic portraits of women who lived in the Russian Empire’s capital and made an impact on national history, Russian thought, social norms and manners, and tastes.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
36, Liteyny Prospekt
Museum By badgeNikolay Nekrasov Memorial Apartment
The house at 36, Liteyny Prospekt is forever bound up with the name of one of Russia’s most celebrated poets. Nikolay Nekrasov lived here from 1857 until his death in 1877. Throughout those years, the poet’s apartment housed the editorial offices of two progressive and popular journals, Sovremennik and Otechestvennye Zapiski. The reconstructed domestic and historical setting of the memorial apartment includes authentic nineteenth-century objects, Nekrasov’s personal belongings, portraits of the poet painted from life by Ivan Kramskoy and Konstantin Makovsky, and unique documents of the period.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Guided tour service is not provided.
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26 September 10:00 – 20:00
Moscow, 21, Tverskaya Ulitsa, Building 1, exhibition hall №3
Еxhibition Self purchase“More Than a Theatre” Project Exhibition / State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (Moscow)
The Franco-Russian Dialogue Association, together with its Russian partners, presents “More Than a Theatre”, a project marking 250 years of Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre.
The project turns its attention to the Bolshoi of today, and specifically to those who serve on Russia’s foremost stage. Distinguished masters of sculpture and painting, among them Oleg Zakomorny, Vadim Kirillov, Viktor Korneev, and Andrei Remnev, have created works capturing the theatre’s outstanding figures: Valery Gergiev, Yury Grigorovich, Makhar Vaziev, Svetlana Zakharova, Denis Rodkin, Vladislav Lantratov, Svetlana Lachina, and many others.
The culmination of the project will be a series of exhibitions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Paris, presenting for the first time the complete collection of works created for it. The project comprises more than 90 pieces: paintings, graphic works, and sculpture.
In Moscow, “More Than a Theatre” will run at the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia from 23 September 2026 to 10 January 2027.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets independently at the Museum’s ticket office. Tickets for the permanent displays and temporary exhibitions go off sale 30 minutes before the Museum closes. Visitors entitled to concessions may obtain their tickets at the ticket office. Those using a free or concessionary ticket must present documentary proof of entitlement at the entrance.
Tickets may be paid for using the Pushkin Card.
Information about guided tours and how to book will be published on the Museum's official website, sovrhistory.ru.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
94, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki. Entrance to the exhibition from 21, Ulitsa Dekabristov
Еxhibition By invitation“Our Home Reminded Us of a Museum…” Dutch Painting of the 17th–19th Centuries from the Collection of the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate (St. Petersburg Palace of Culture for Education Workers (Yusupov Palace on the Moika)
More than half of the collection of Dutch paintings held by the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate is being presented for the first time. The Nikolaevsky Hall of the Yusupov Palace has been arranged to recreate the setting of the gallery of paintings once owned by the Yusupov princes, featuring furniture and decorative and applied arts from the collection of the Yusupov Palace on the Moika. Twelve of the 28 paintings have returned to the walls of the Palace. The exhibition features paintings by Dutch artists in a variety of genres. The exhibition texts include materials from the hand-drawn catalogue compiled by Prince Yusupov, the founder of one of the richest private art collections.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission on any day from September 24 to 27.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your inviation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
7, Alexandrovsky Park
Еxhibition By badge“Weapons of the Peoples of Russia” Exhibition Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, as part of the Days of Army Culture, the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps will open the exhibition entitled “Weapons of the Peoples of Russia”, featuring more than 130 items from the museum's collections.
Visitors will see a unique collection encompassing the gunsmith’s art of the peoples of the Caucasus, a variety of arms and weaponry of the peoples of Central Asia, and the weapons of the peoples of Siberia and the Far East, most of which are on display for the first time.
The collection began to take shape at the museum during the reign of Empress Elizabeth and has been added to ever since with new pieces reflecting the art of weapon-making among the peoples of Russia.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Tour bookings by telephone: +7 (812) 232 0296
Open 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
12, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Museum By badgeAlexander Pushkin. Life and Work Museum
The literary and monographic exposition opened in 1999 in the former mansion of the Princes Volkonsky. Unique exhibits from Pushkin’s era are displayed across the museum’s seventeen halls, among them contemporary likenesses of Pushkin and his circle, along with memorial objects including the poet's writing desk from the house at Boldino.
Original costumes worn by the characters in the film “The Prophet: The Story of Alexander Pushkin” are woven naturally into the display.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Please present your badge at the museum's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Independent access to the museum’s “Pushkin: Life and Work” exposition, without a guided tour.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
62, Liteyny Prospekt
Еxhibition By badgeINDIVISIBLE: Windows of Memory Multimedia project / Third Place Art Gallery
The multimedia project INDIVISIBLE: Windows of Memory tells the story of the collections of four Crimean museums, which were sent to international exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands in 2013–2014.
An immersive exhibition in St. Petersburg will allow you to delve into Crimea’s past. You will discover how civilizations intertwined here, how eras succeeded one another, and how the Russian state carefully collected, studied and preserved this unique heritage in museum collections. Artefacts from these museums have been lovingly selected and brought together in a single exhibition for two international exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands.
Due to a political decision by the Amsterdam court, the unified exhibition has been split up: the ancient artefacts have never been returned to their homeland. Each exhibit is not merely an object, but a part of our shared memory. When these parts are taken away, history itself is torn apart. The exhibition will serve as a powerful reminder of this truth, which was once considered an immutable principle throughout the civilized world.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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26 September 10:00 – 19:00
2, Sadovaya Ulitsa
Museum By badgeMikhailovsky Castle / State Russian Museum
The Russian Museum is a unique architectural and artistic complex in the historic centre of St. Petersburg. Its buildings include historic monuments from different eras that were designed by the finest architects of the 18th through 20th centuries.
Highlights of Mikhailovsky Castle: the museum’s permanent exhibitions, including ‘The 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanov’ and ‘St. Petersburg Society in the Romanov Era’ located in the state and private rooms of Empress Maria Feodorovna; the permanent exhibition ‘Sculpture of the Summer Garden’; an open collection of sculptures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and the ‘National Portrait Gallery’ in the State Rooms of Emperor Paul I.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
1, Ploshchad Alexandra Nevskogo
Museum By badgeNecropolis of the 18th Century / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
There are 184 gravestones within the necropolis, a significant number of which were designed by prominent sculptors and architects and reflect the history of Russian art from the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century.
The Necropolis is the final resting place of the writers Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolay Karamzin, Vassily Zhukovsky, and Ivan Krylov; the composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov; the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya; and the artists Alexander Ivanov, Ivan Shishkin, Arkhin Kuindzhi, and others.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Museum By badgeRussian Ethnographic Museum
The Russian Ethnographic Museum is one of the largest ethnographic museums in the world. Its collection numbers around 500,000 exhibits. The museum’s permanent displays and exhibitions offer a window into the distinctive material world of the peoples inhabiting the vast expanses of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, and Central Asia. The museum preserves cultural monuments of 157 peoples of Russia and neighbouring countries.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 10:00 – 17:30
43, Ulitsa Kirochnaya
Museum By badgeState Historical Museum of Alexander Suvorov
The museum was erected in St. Petersburg in honour of Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, built over the period 1901–1904 with the highest permission of Emperor Nicholas II. The Preobrazhensky Regiment provided the site for the museum – part of its parade ground on the corner of Ulitsa Kirochnaya and Ulitsa Tavricheskaya. Both wings of the museum’s main façade are decorated with mosaic paintings by N. Maslennikov and M. Zoshchenko.
Visitors can look around the permanent exhibition dedicated to the life of Alexander Suvorov.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 10:00 – 17:30
9, Solyanoy Pereulok
Museum By badgeState Memorial Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad
The museum is a national repository for the preservation of historical memory: thousands of exhibits were donated by veterans and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad. The collection contains more than 54,000 items – everything from weapons and photographs to manuscripts and works of art. Located on Solyanoy Pereulok, the museum combines documentary evidence of the Siege with modern technology, helping visitors grasp the scale of the tragedy and the magnitude of the heroism of the city’s defenders.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
For guided tours, advance booking is available by phone: +7 (812) 275 7547.
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26 September 10:00 – 19:00
32/1, Ulitsa Basseynaya
Museum By badge“Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre
The “Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre is a modern exhibition space with permanent multimedia exhibits that present the periods of Russian history under the Rurik and Romanov dynasties. The history of St. Petersburg is told in the “St. Petersburg. History and Development” multimedia exhibit and the “My Petersburg” exhibit.
The Museum and Exhibition Centre also regularly hosts various temporary exhibitions and events.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 10:00 – 17:00
22a, Ulitsa Chkalovа, Gatchina
Museum Self purchasePrioratsky Palace
Prioratsky Palace, resembling a medieval Catholic monastery, was built in 1799 to a design by architect Nikolai Lvov for the Knights of the Order of Malta. It is Russia’s only rammed-earth structure of the late 18th century.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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26 September 10:00 – 17:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Museum Self purchaseGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace was built in the 18th century as a country retreat and hunting lodge for Count Grigory Orlov, a favourite of Catherine II. From 1783 until the Revolution, Gatchina Palace was the property of the imperial family. As you explore the exhibition at your own pace, you will see the restored state rooms of Pavel I era, including the Upper Throne Room and the State Bedchamber, admire the Greek Gallery, and stroll through the romantic underground passage.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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26 September 10:00 – 16:45
7, Ulitsa Sadovaya
Еxcursion By badgeSightseeing tour of the Catherine Palace at the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum and Heritage Site
The exhibition at the Catherine Palace Museum covers the over 300-year history of this outstanding monument and tells about the creativity of the architects who took part in its construction and decoration in the 18–19th centuries, as well as the achievements of the restorers who revived the Palace after the Great Patriotic War.
The Catherine Palace is a wonderful example of Russian baroque, amazing visitors with the luxurious furnishings of the Great Hall and the golden succession of grand reception rooms. These include the world-renowned Amber Room, which has been given new life.
Participants can attend by presenting their badge. You must present your badge at the Church Gates, then go to the Catherine Palace lobby and pick up a free ticket to join the excursions taking place in the museum.
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
14, Ulitsa Pochtamptskaya
Museum By badgeMuseum of the History of Religion
The State Museum of the History of Religion is the only museum in Russia – and one of only a handful of museums in the world – that tells the story of the origin and development of religion. The museum’s collection contains more than 200,000 exhibits, the oldest dating back more than 200 million years. These are historical and cultural monuments from various countries, eras, and peoples: from the Archaic period, ancient Egypt and Israel to the early European Middle Ages; from Ancient Greece and Rome to modern times. Visitors can explore exhibits covering three world religions: Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, as well as Judaism and the national religions of India, China, and Japan.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 10:00 – 16:45
2–4, Ulitsa Kuibysheva
Museum By badgeThe State Museum of the Political History of Russia / Main museum building
The State Museum of the Political History of Russia is located in the centre of St. Petersburg in historic Art Nouveau mansions that once belonged to the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya and the timber industrialist Vasily Brandt. The museum’s collection includes around half a million items and spans the period of Russian political history from the reign of Catherine II to the present day. Its exhibitions, thematic displays, as well as educational programmes and projects reflect the museum’s mission of demonstrating the continuity of Russian statehood (the Russian Empire, the USSR, and the Russian Federation).
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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26 September 10:00 – 16:45
6, Admiralteysky Proezd
Museum By badgeGorokhovaya 2 State Security Museum
The “Gorokhovaya 2 Department. History of the Political Police and State Security Agencies of Russia from the 19th to the 20th Centuries” of the State Museum of Political History of Russia is situated in a late-18th century mansion built by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi for the president of the medical college, Baron Ivan Fitinghoff. The building was sold to the State Treasury in 1804, becoming the Provincial Government Chambers soon after. Future Decembrists Ivan Pushchin and Kondraty Ryleyev worked as judges in the judicial chamber.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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26 September 10:00 – 18:00
4A, St. Isaac’s Square
Museum By badgeSt. Isaac’s Cathedral
St. Isaac’s Cathedral (1818–1858, designed by Auguste de Montferrand) – an outstanding example of the synthesis of architecture and monumental decorative art. The cathedral houses a unique collection of monumental religious paintings, as well as over two hundred reliefs, statues, and sculptural groups.
Tour of St. Isaac’s Cathedral no guide, no ascent to the top of the colonnade.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 10:30 – 17:00
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Museum By badgeFarmhouse Palace / Peterhof
The Farmhouse Palace is one of the architectural landmarks of Alexandria Park, which forms part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve. The palace derives its unusual name from the ‘Ten-Cow Farm’, built in the early 1830s by the architect Adam Menelas as a summer residence for Emperor Nicholas I. Over the following decades, the modest country pavilion was rebuilt on several occasions under the direction of the architect Andrey Stakenschneider and, by the late 1850s, had been transformed into a fully-fledged palace in the ‘English Gothic’ style. The country palace became the favourite summer residence of Emperor Alexander II and his family, and its appearance and interiors reflect not the ceremonial side, but the private, domestic life of the ruling dynasty. The halls and memorial rooms preserve the atmosphere of family life at the imperial court in the mid-19th century.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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26 September 11:00 – 12:30
6, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Еxcursion By invitationThe Splendid Alexandrinsky Theatre (Main Stage)
The Splendid Alexandrinsky Theatre: groups of up to 20 people
The Alexandrinsky Theatre, our country’s oldest state theatre, was once Russia’s principal imperial stage. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to stroll through the Carriage Gallery, visit the Audience Foyer and the Imperial Foyer; admire the sumptuous Audience Hall, take a peek into the Tsar’s Box and hear numerous theatre legends. The ‘Museum of Russian Drama’ on the third tier will introduce visitors to stage costumes, sketches and artefacts from theatre life.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 11:00 – 12:30
49A, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxcursion By badgeNew Stage of Alexandrinsky Theatre, or 21st Century Theatre
The Alexandrinsky Theatre and Cultural Complex is a unique, multi-purpose theatre centre, which was named after Vsevolod Meyerhold on 30 August 2022.
We invite you to join us on a guided tour, during which theatre guests will have the opportunity to explore the complex’s uniquely laid-out building, including the sound and video recording studio and the training centre. The state-of-the-art technical facilities encourage theatrical experimentation and offer a glimpse into the future of theatre.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 11:00 – 19:00
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Museum By badgeThe Derzhavin Museum Estate
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Entry to the Museum Estate exposition without a guided tour, to the exhibitions in the West and East Wings, and to the Estate Garden is by badge.
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26 September 11:00 – 18:30
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxhibition By badge“In the Theatre Designer’s Studio” Exhibition / Sheremetyevsky Palace – The Museum of Music
The exhibition is devoted to the singular space in which a production’s visual identity is born. It is a space usually closed to outside eyes, but the Museum of Theatre and Music is lifting the veil on its closely guarded secrets.
The aim of the exhibition is to take visitors on a journey into the world of stage design and to draw attention to the work of the theatre designer, who reveals a production’s conception and atmosphere through sets, costumes, and props. By the nature of the art form, audiences never see the creator, only the results of the work.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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26 September 11:00 – 17:00
30, Rasstannaya Ulitsa
Museum By badgeLiteratorskie Mostki Necropolis / State Museum of Urban Sculpture
Since 1939, the Literatorskie Mostki Necropolis has been a branch of the State Museum of Urban Sculpture. It takes its name from one of the paths leading to the graves of the celebrated nineteenth-century literary critics Vissarion Belinsky, Nikolai Dobrolyubov, and Dmitry Pisarev.
Occupying the northern part of the Volkovskoye Orthodox Cemetery, the necropolis became the final resting place both of outstanding writers and scholars of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and of well-known figures of our own day. Buried here are some of the most distinguished names in literature, among them Ivan Turgenev, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Alexander Blok, and Olga Berggolts; the eminent scientists Dmitry Mendeleev, Ivan Pavlov, and Alexander Popov; the masters of stage and screen Nikolai Akimov, Grigori Kozintsev, Vladislav Strzhelchik, and Efim Kopelyan; the composers Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi and Valery Gavrilin; and many others.
What gives the necropolis’s collection of memorials its particular artistic character is that, alongside works by such well-known nineteenth-century sculptors as Robert Bach and Leopold Bernstamm, it also holds a substantial body of Soviet-era memorial sculpture, including works by Mikhail Anikushin, Matvey Manizer, Vladimir Ingal, and Igor Krestovsky.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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26 September 11:00 – 20:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition by the Grekov Studio of Military Artists “Horizons of Russia”
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, the Grekov Studio of Military Artists presents the exhibition “Horizons of Russia”, bringing together 18 paintings created by the Studio’s artists over a number of years. The artists represented include Oleg Avakimyan, Dmitry Belyukin, Ekaterina Kamynina, Polina Mineeva, Sergei Prisekin, Alexei Semyonov, Egor Smirnov, Ekaterina Solovyeva, Alexander Syrov, and Alexei Fyodorov.
At the heart of the exhibition is an image of Russia revealed through the diversity of its landscapes and historic places.
The works on display invite visitors on an artistic journey across the country. They will see many different corners of the homeland: the northern territories and the islands of the White Sea, central Russia, historic country estates and monastery ensembles, the mountains of the Caucasus, and the wide expanses of Crimea.
A special place in the exposition is held by Ekaterina Kamynina’s triptych “Northern Wonders”, devoted to the harsh yet poetic landscape of the Russian North.
The theme of the unity of the peoples of Russia is explored through the diversity of territories and images that make up the country’s single cultural space, forming a coherent image of a Russia united by a shared history and culture.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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26 September 11:00 – 21:00
35, Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’ / ROSPHOTO State Museum and Exhibition Centre
The exhibition project ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’, which was organized with the support of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Ministry of Culture, is dedicated to the history of Russian industrial and art exhibitions. These unique events served as major showcases for the country’s economic, scientific, and cultural achievements between 1829 and 1896. The exhibition focuses on the 16th All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition held in Nizhny Novgorod in 1896, an event of unprecedented scale that surpassed even the famous 1889 World’s Fair in Paris and the 1882 All-Russian Exhibition in Moscow in terms of its scope and significance. It marked the pinnacle of the country’s industrial and creative ascension and served as a visual recap of Russia’s development throughout the 19th century.
The display includes unique photographs, rare presentation albums, and archival publications from the collections of ROSPHOTO, the Nizhny Novgorod State Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve, the Russian Museum of Photography, the Institute for the History of Material Culture and the Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and various private collections. These items not only showcase the outstanding engineering and artistic achievements of the era, but also enable visitors to experience the spirit of a time defined by great transformation.
Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
Guided tours are available by prior appointment. Please book by calling +7 (911) 240 2916 (Mon–Fri, 10:00–18:00) or emailing excursion@rosphoto.org (at least two days before the planned visit for groups of 5 to 15 people).
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26 September 11:00 – 20:00
1, St. Isaac’s Square
Еxhibition By badge‘The Stage’ exhibition / Manege Museum and Exhibition Complex
‘The Stage’ exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of the National Theatre Society. It is a large-scale project exploring the theatre, its conventions and its key figures – personalities, the theatre community as a whole and, of course, the audience. This is not just a linear account of Russian theatre development, but an attempt to convey the emotional experience of a performance through painting, graphic art, sculpture and video art. The exhibition will feature productions that have been landmark events in Russian theatre, with a focus on their historical and social context.
Forum participants can attend by presenting their badge.
Tours are available with general admission. To book a tour, please send an email to tour@manege.spb.ru (please state your preferred tour date in the subject of your email, and include your contact telephone number in the body of the email).
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26 September 11:00 – 19:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition: ‘Early Rembrandt: The Lost Masterpiece. The Baptism of the Eunuch by the Apostle Philip’ / Museum of Christian Culture
The Museum of Christian Culture is a spiritual and educational centre which celebrated the 5th anniversary of its opening in May 2026. The museum’s collection features artefacts of world culture dating from the early centuries of Christianity to the present day: Russian icons from the Modern Era, paintings by famous artists, including works by Botticelli, Luini, Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael, and other outstanding masters; jewellery from the House of Fabergé; antique books and pilgrimage relics; and antique artefacts.
As part of the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum, a unique exhibition project is being presented, dedicated to one of the most outstanding figures in Dutch painting – Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. At the heart of the exhibition is a work long thought to be lost: Rembrandt’s painting The Baptism of the Eunuch by the Apostle Philip. This work is a unique example of the great artist’s early period and the development of his painting style.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
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26 September 11:00 – 12:30
36, Liteyny Prospekt
By badgeLecture: “Dumas Visits Nekrasov” / Nikolay Nekrasov Memorial Apartment
The lecture covers the circumstances of Alexandre Dumas’s visit to Russia, the impressions the two writers formed of one another, the recollections of their contemporaries, and the historic recipes for the dishes Dumas was served in St. Petersburg.
The lecture is free of charge, by prior booking on +7 (812) 416 4962.
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26 September 11:00 – 17:00
4/2, Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa, Letter I, apt. 119N, entrance through the archway at 2, Cheboksarsky Pereulok
Еxcursion By badge“The History of the House of Writers” tour / Mikhail Zoshchenko Memorial Apartment
“The History of the House of Writers”, including admission ticket
You will learn about the literary, musical, theatrical, and cinematic history of the House of Writers: why the building was nicknamed the “head-scraper”, whether its residents were happy in the Soviet era, how they lived through the years of the repressions, and which Soviet bestsellers were written here. Among the well-known writers who lived in the building were Mikhail Zoshchenko, Veniamin Kaverin, Nikolay Zabolotsky, Evgeny Schwartz, and Boris Tomashevsky.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 11:00, 13:00, 14:30.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 571 7819.
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26 September 12:00 – 18:00
Cathedral Square of Peter and Paul Fortress
Festival Free admissionThe 6th ‘Silver Necklace’ Festival – North-West Region Folk Culture Days in St. Petersburg, featuring international participants. Organized by the St. Petersburg House of Folk Art, with the support of the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture
During the 12th St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures, ‘United Cultures – Shared Values’, supported by the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture, the 6th ‘Silver Necklace’ Festival will take place on 25–26 September 2026 on Cathedral Square at the Peter and Paul Fortress – Days of Folk Culture of the North-West Region in St. Petersburg, with international participation.
As part of the ‘Silver Necklace’ project programme, a grand festive concert will be held, centred on St. Petersburg’s cultural identity, which unites all the peoples of the North-West into a single tapestry of traditions. The festival’s main stage will host performances by the finest amateur arts groups from the North-West Federal District, as well as from the Republic of Belarus, Mariupol (the twin city of St. Petersburg), the city of Luhansk, and the city of Krasnoyarsk. A highlight of the project will be the youth programme – the 3rd Folk Art Festival, where participants will present folk art in a contemporary format, reinterpreting traditional Russian cultural codes in a fresh way. As part of the ‘Silver Necklace’ festival, the ‘Artisans’ Fair’ will take place as usual, alongside numerous masterclasses. The event’s business programme will feature a panel discussion entitled ‘The Uniqueness of the Northern Cultural Code’, dedicated to the celebration of the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and the Year of St. Petersburg Culture.
Free admission. To contact regarding any inquiries: +7 (812) 766 6300.
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26 September 12:00 – 18:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxcursion By badgeExhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: The Battle of Anghiari” / Museum of Christian Culture
A unique exhibition project dedicated to one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous works – The Battle of Anghiari – features an exclusive guided tour programme for guests and participants of the Forum. The exhibition centres on a study of Leonardo da Vinci’s lost mural, created in the early 16th century at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The Battle of Anghiari is regarded as one of the artist’s most innovative works, which has not survived to the present day due to the use of experimental techniques.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a panel on which Leonardo worked out the compositional and colour solutions for his future masterpiece – a unique work that holds the secret characteristic of the master’s art. The project has been initiated by the Museum of Christian Culture – one of St. Petersburg’s most significant spiritual and educational centres – in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
Admission is by session; sessions start daily at 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 18:00.
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26 September 12:00 – 19:15
1, Ploshchad Stachek
Museum By badgeNarva Triumphal Arch / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘The Bronze Knight’ exhibition is not so much about the metal itself and the techniques used to work with it, but rather about making the most of the material’s potential and the artist’s search for the ideal means of realizing their vision. A recurring theme is the relationship between craftsmanship and creativity in artistic practices of the 19th century and the present day, as well as society’s perception of the artist during these two distinct historical periods.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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26 September 12:00 – 18:00
8, Vyazemsky Pereulok
Museum By badgeAnikushin’s Studio / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘In Progress’ exhibition is dedicated to the studio itself and to the creative and technical processes that once took place there and continue to this day.
The studio was constructed in 1969 specifically for work on the city’s monuments. Mikhail Anikushin worked there for almost thirty years. Visitors will get a chance to explore the working space of the monumental sculptor and follow the main stages in the creation of the monument.
What is modelling? What does the framework look like? How many times can a sculpture be enlarged? Interactive zones will help visitors understand the intricacies of a sculptor’s work: visitors to the workshop will be able to look inside a huge head of Lenin, assemble a model of the Cherkasov monument, and see for themselves that even the angle of an arm can alter the mood of the entire piece.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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26 September 12:30 – 18:00
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badge“Word Catchers” tour / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
A finalist in the prestigious national Museum Olympus competition, this exhibition explores the formative period of Russian and Soviet literature in the first third of the twentieth century, as the city itself transformed from St. Petersburg to Petrograd and then to Leningrad.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30, 16:30.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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26 September 13:00 – 14:00
4/2, Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa, Letter I, apt. 119N, entrance through the archway at 2, Cheboksarsky Pereulok
Еxcursion By badge“The Life and Work of Mikhail Zoshchenko” tour / Mikhail Zoshchenko Memorial Apartment
This general tour of the Mikhail Zoshchenko memorial apartment introduces visitors to the writer’s biography and his remarkable creative path, from the flourishing of his career to its devastating collapse. You will see how writers lived in the twentieth century, along with the setting of Zoshchenko’s memorial study and his personal belongings.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 14:00 and 17:00. Duration: 1 hour.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 571 7819.
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26 September 13:00 – 14:00
19, Italyanskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketGuest Performances by the Mariupol Republican Academic Russian Drama Theatre, Awarded the Order of the Badge of Honour, at the Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre “The Scarlet Flower”
A stylish, vivid, and warm-hearted musical production, created by the Mariupol company in collaboration with the State Theatre of Nations, tells a much-loved fairy tale in a slightly different way, yet the wonderful story remains unchanged: a story of friendship, loyalty, and love, and of the ability to discern true beauty, the beauty of the soul, behind an outward appearance that is sometimes far from handsome.
Colourful design, an original score, and expressive choreography bring together audiences young and old in an atmosphere of celebration, warmth, and mutual understanding.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 14:00 – 15:00
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badge“The Formula of the Future” tour / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
This large-scale interactive exhibition will change the way visitors think about Soviet science fiction and take them on an unforgettable journey into a world of imagination and science. More than an exhibition, it is a new kind of museum space where classics meet contemporary art and technology. The exhibition tells the story of how the bold ideas of Tsiolkovsky, Yefremov, the Strugatsky brothers, and many others shaped the nation’s scientific dreams and influenced real discoveries.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 12:30 and 15:30. Duration: 1 hour.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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26 September 14:00 – 15:30
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Еxcursion By badgeGeneral guided tour of the Derzhavin Museum Estate (Central Wing)
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
On the general guided tour, visitors see the reconstructed interiors of the mansion's Central Wing and three rooms of the Kitchen Wing. The tour of the house is accompanied by an account of the vicissitudes of Derzhavin's life and of his path as a poet and senior statesman.
Forum participants need a badge for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket for the tour. Seating is limited.
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26 September 14:00 – 16:30
27, Ulitsa Bolshaya Konyushennaya
Performance By ticketPerformance: The Crocodile of My Soul / Arkady Raikin Variety Theatre
‘Dusya, my little insect’, ‘my dear little sperm whale’, ‘my horse-like dog’, and, finally, ‘the crocodile of my soul’ – there are among the names Chekhov used in his correspondence to address his fiancée (and future wife), Moscow Art Theatre actress Olga Knipper-Chekhova. These nicknames embody irony, the joy of creative play, and genuine affection. Most of Chekhov’s short stories adapted for the stage are works from his early years that were originally published under the pseudonym Antosha Chekhonte. They share common themes of family relationships, romantic intrigue, and the paradoxical nature of human emotions.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 15:00 – 16:30
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Еxcursion By badgeA guided tour of the temporary exhibition ‘Land of Golden Mountains: Celebrating the 270th Anniversary of the Altai People Joining the Russian State’ at the Russian Museum of Ethnography
The tour will introduce visitors to the traditional cultures of the peoples of the Altai Mountains: the Altai-Kizhi, Telengits, Teleuts, Kumandins, Chelkans, and Tubalars. They will learn about the main religious denominations in the region and view rare artifacts from the museum’s collection, including a complete protective ceremonial outfit of an Altai shaman and traditional wedding attire for a horse.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge.
Sign up for the tour by email: excursions@ethnomuseum.ru.
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26 September 15:00 – 21:00
Arts Square Gallery, 5, Italianskaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition Free admissionOpening ceremony for exhibition of works by artist Abbas Al-Musawi/ The Wassily Kandinsky Foundation for 20th–21st Century Art
An exhibition featuring 25 pieces by the artist Abbas Al-Musawi selected specially to acquaint visitors in St. Petersburg with his work will officially open at the Arts Square Gallery on 26 September. The event is being held with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Admission free. Prior registration not required.
Contact information:
Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain: +7 (999) 967 8825
Wassily Kandinsky Foundation for 20th–21st Century Art: +7 (911) 915 7490
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26 September 15:30 – 17:00
Atrium of the General Staff Building, State Hermitage Museum, 6/8, Palace Square
Event By badgeRussian Readings
A literary and musical performance incorporating elements of immersive theatre and video installation. Well-known actors of stage and screen, holders of the titles People’s Artist and Honoured Artist of Russia, read documentary texts, prose, and contemporary poetry. Through documentary testimony, song, and contemporary literature, the performance sets out to show that the Russian language is the principal bond of a shared Russian civic identity, and that the diversity of traditions is not a threat but a source of richness, one revealed precisely through Russian culture.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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26 September 15:30 – 16:30
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badgeTwo-in-One Tour: “The Formula of the Future” + “Word Catchers” / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
Join us for a special route linking two landmark literary exhibitions. We begin with “Word Catchers”, then set off into the future with “The Formula of the Future”. This is a journey through time, from the fervent literary world of the past to the visionary worlds of Russian science fiction that helped bring that future into being.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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26 September 16:00 – 17:00
19, Italyanskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketGuest Performances by the Mariupol Republican Academic Russian Drama Theatre, Awarded the Order of the Badge of Honour, at the Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre “The Scarlet Flower”
A stylish, vivid, and warm-hearted musical production, created by the Mariupol company in collaboration with the State Theatre of Nations, tells a much-loved fairy tale in a slightly different way, yet the wonderful story remains unchanged: a story of friendship, loyalty, and love, and of the ability to discern true beauty, the beauty of the soul, behind an outward appearance that is sometimes far from handsome.
Colourful design, an original score, and expressive choreography bring together audiences young and old in an atmosphere of celebration, warmth, and mutual understanding.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 16:00 – 18:00
60, Nevsky Prospekt
Event By invitationPremiere of Boris Eifman’s Film-Ballet “The Seagull. A Ballet Story” / Aurora Cinema
The film “The Seagull. A Ballet Story” (written, directed, and produced by Boris Eifman) is a cinematic adaptation of the acclaimed production by the St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre. This choreographic interpretation of Anton Chekhov’s play, set to music by Sergei Rachmaninoff and Alexander Sitkovetsky, was released by the company four years ago and has already won the hearts of dance enthusiasts in Russia and abroad.
“The Seagull. A Ballet Story” immerses audiences in a unique, electrifying world charged with passion on the other side of the curtain – alluring and full of striking contrasts. Here, romantic intrigues are intertwined with the torments of artistic creation, while personal dramas intersect with the mysteries of how works of art are born. By “revealing the unknown” within Chekhov’s canonical text, Boris Eifman explores how works of art emerge from the endlessly diverse flow of life, where the sublime and the base, the eternal and the fleeting, exist side by side.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
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26 September 17:00 – 18:00
4/2, Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa, Letter I, apt. 119N, entrance through the archway at 2, Cheboksarsky Pereulok
Еxcursion By badge“The Life and Work of Mikhail Zoshchenko” tour / Mikhail Zoshchenko Memorial Apartment
This general tour of the Mikhail Zoshchenko memorial apartment introduces visitors to the writer’s biography and his remarkable creative path, from the flourishing of his career to its devastating collapse. You will see how writers lived in the twentieth century, along with the setting of Zoshchenko’s memorial study and his personal belongings.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 14:00 and 17:00. Duration: 1 hour.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 571 7819.
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26 September 17:00 – 19:00
20, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Concert By badgeConcert by performance ensembles of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation “Russia Is Us!”
On 26 September 2026, the State Academic Capella of St. Petersburg will host a concert by creative ensembles of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation entitled “Russia Is Us!”
The programme will feature a performance by the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Leningrad Military District, which has given more than 26,000 performances throughout its history, from trenches and dugouts in the area of the special military operation to the country’s and the world’s leading stages.
The women’s choir of the Alexandrov Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army will perform musical works that combine academic excellence with deep emotion and sincerity, creating a sound that touches the heart.
The future of Russia will also take the stage in the form of vocal ensembles from the St. Petersburg Cadet Corps “Boarding School for Female Pupils of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation”, the Nakhimov Naval School, and the Suvorov Military School.
In the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, the concert programme “Russia Is Us!” will serve as a symbol of national unity, highlighting the unbroken connection between generations, the heroic deeds of the country’s defenders and the creative work of its citizens, as well as Russia’s proud traditions and contemporary achievements. It will offer audiences an opportunity to see how many different voices can come together to create a single, majestic tapestry of our culture.
Доступ участников Форума осуществляется по бейджу.
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26 September 18:00 – 20:00
35, Ulitsa Mokhovaya
Performance By invitationA performance of Khanuma / Na Mokhovoy Student Theatre
Where: At the Na Mokhovoy Student Theatre at the Russian State Institute of Performing Arts, where aspiring actors present their productions.
What: The vaudeville comedy Khanuma, performed by students of the Faculty of Musical Theatre and Variety Arts.
The audience will be immersed in the atmosphere of an authentic Georgian feast, complete with songs, dances, and toasts galore! All this topped with a generous helping of the youthful energy that has made the Student Theatre famous.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
Admission is free upon presentation of an invitation ticket at the house manager’s window before the start of the performance. Doors open 30 minutes before the start of the performance.
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26 September 18:00 – 19:30
93A, Sredny Prospekt V.O.
Performance By invitationA sentimental ballet set to the music of Sergey Kuryokhin / Sergey Kuryokhin Centre
The first ballet in the repertoire set to music by Sergey Kuryokhin. Two acts that are completely different from one another, in which the innovative choreography is accentuated by an intriguing visual sequence on a huge screen and a diverse musical score: the first act features piano music by Sergey Kuryokhin, whilst in the second, the action unfolds to an orchestral performance.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 18:00 – 21:20
12, Vladimirsky Prospekt
Performance By ticketResurrection / Lensovet St. Petersburg Academic Theatre
Resurrection is Leo Tolstoy’s final novel, telling of the weakness of the human soul alongside its boundless strength and will. It is also about the banality of evil, which we try so hard not to notice. The production unfolds the story of an agonizing reassessment of values and a long, difficult path of purification and spiritual awakening.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 20:30
88–90, Naberezhnaya Kanala Griboyedova
Performance By ticketVrubel. Downcast / Petersburg-Concert
Petersburg-Concert presents the mystical concert performance VRUBEL. DOWNCAST, which marks the 170th anniversary of the artist’s birth. Audiences will witness and take part in this grand aesthetic event that is somewhere between art and confession, where symphonic music, artistic expression, vocals, physical theatre, and light projections all come together to convey the singular, restless spirit of the times.
The production revolves around Mikhail Alexandrovich Vrubel, a Symbolist artist of the late 19th–early 20th century, who, amidst a worsening psychological illness, pieces himself back together from letters, memories, and his own epiphanies.
The music of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Anton Rubinstein, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Antonín Dvořák, and other composers will be performed by the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Pavel Petrenko), soloists Anastasia Simanskaya (soprano) and Kirill Zharovin (baritone), and the St. Petersburg Chamber Choir.
Participants include: documentary theatre actors Vitalia Vasilyeva, Dmitry Dmitriev, Mikhail Kozhevnikov, Nikolay Zverev, and Timofey Parikov; and physical performance artist Daniil Zimin.
Creative team:
Scriptwriter and curator: Varvara Strizhak
Director: Svetlana Nikolaeva
Producer: Yekaterina Artyushkina
Video art: Fyodor Popov
Set designer: Sofya Masterova
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 21:30
65, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Performance By ticketThe Storm / Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre
Andrei Moguchiy’s The Storm captures the essence of Ostrovsky’s authentic, highly melodic text, enhanced by the music, a distinctive delivery and the rhythmic structure of Russian recitative. These are the multi-layered strata of Russian myth and traditions—both noble and corrupt—uncovered by Ostrovsky and still relevant today; this is a Russian interpretation of classical tragedy as a conflict between duty and emotion, unbridled passion and fervent faith. This is a ‘box-like’ mystery play, the life story of Katerina and other inhabitants of Kalinovo on the Volga, caught between hell and paradise, set within a lacquered stage space stylized in the Palekh tradition.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 21:30
27, Ulitsa Bolshaya Konyushennaya
Performance By ticketPerformance: The Crocodile of My Soul / Arkady Raikin Variety Theatre
‘Dusya, my little insect’, ‘my dear little sperm whale’, ‘my horse-like dog’, and, finally, ‘the crocodile of my soul’ – there are among the names Chekhov used in his correspondence to address his fiancée (and future wife), Moscow Art Theatre actress Olga Knipper-Chekhova. These nicknames embody irony, the joy of creative play, and genuine affection. Most of Chekhov’s short stories adapted for the stage are works from his early years that were originally published under the pseudonym Antosha Chekhonte. They share common themes of family relationships, romantic intrigue, and the paradoxical nature of human emotions.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 22:00
6A, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Performance By ticketResurrection – Main Stage of the Alexandrinsky Theatre
Resurrection by Nikita Kobelev:
Leo Tolstoy is an author whose work the Alexandrinsky Theatre has repeatedly turned to throughout its history. In 1891, the play The Fruits of Enlightenment (1890) made its professional debut. The theatre would later revisit it (notably in 1907, when Evtikhy Karpov staged it to mark the 55th anniversary of Tolstoy’s literary career). In 1895, the play The Power of Darkness (1886) was presented immediately after a censorship ban was lifted. The prominent director and theatre reformer Vsevolod Meyerhold staged Tolstoy’s works at the Alexandrinsky on two occasions: The Living Corpse in 1911 and the drama Peter Khlebnik in 1918. In the 2000s, director Valery Fokin brought Tolstoy back into the theatre’s repertoire, first staging The Living Corpse in 2006 before producing a revised version of the play starring People’s Artist of Russia Pyotr Semak in the lead role in 2015. Tolstoy’s final novel Resurrection (which the writer wrote intermittently from 1889 to 1899) premiered at the Alexandrinsky in January 2024 on the Vsevolod Meyerhold New Stage and then moved to the Main Stage in May 2024. The theatrical adaptation, which was written by Nikita Kobelev in collaboration with playwright Dmitry Bogoslavsky, incorporates motifs and specific scenes from other works by the classic author, including the novellas The Kreutzer Sonata and Father Sergius, as well as the unfinished story Diary of a Lunatic. During the initial stages of working on the novel, Tolstoy himself had actually considered “uniting all his ideas within it”, specifically citing these works among others. Kobelev’s approach to classic texts stands out due to his meticulous focus on the work’s underlying meaning. The director seeks an alignment with the author’s thoughts and ideas that is substantive rather than merely illustrative. For Kobelev, the text’s contemporary relevance, i.e., how it resonates with audiences in the here and now, is always front and centre. While Tolstoy’s novel presents a sweeping panorama of Russian life in the late 19th century, the director is primarily interested in the personal story of the protagonist, Dmitry Nekhlyudov: “For me, the crucial thing was to see – to lay bare – the internal narrative of the novel, rather than the external one. I find it fascinating to see how the protagonist changes and the path he takes as he tries to atone for the harm he inflicted on another person, and to figure out whether it is even possible to set things right. Nekhlyudov is trying to ease the plight of a young woman he once dishonoured. He encounters her by chance in court, experiences a spiritual awakening, and gradually begins to change. He enters a world that was entirely unfamiliar to him and a life he had never known before. In the simplest terms, Resurrection is about rising above the material world. A man who had lived a ‘horizontal’ existence – one immersed in wealth and glut – awakens and opens himself to a different kind of life, as he seeks meaning and a purpose for his existence. He discovers a Russia he had neither known nor seen, tries to make sense of where he is, who he is with, and who he truly is, and strives to understand what is right and wrong.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 22:00
18, Ulitsa Rubinsteina
Performance By ticketLev Dodin’s production of The Brothers Karamazov / Maly Drama Theatre – Theatre of Europe
Lev Dodin’s play based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s works
Director: Lev Dodin
Set Designer: Alexander Borovsky
Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov
Premiere: 16 November 2020
Duration: 3 hours (with one intermission)
Cast: I. Ivanov, Y. Boyarskaya, Y. Tarasova, I. Chernevich, S. Nikolsky, E. Sannikov, O. Ryazantsev.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 21:30
33, Galernaya Ulitsa
Concert By ticketMasterpieces of world classical music / St. Petersburg Chamber Opera Music Theatre
The ‘Masterpieces of World Classical Music’ gala concert offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the most memorable moments of world opera in a single evening, performed by the theatre’s leading soloists. Unlike themed concerts dedicated to a single composer or genre, this programme encompasses the entire spectrum of operatic art – from Russian classics to Italian bel canto and French lyricism.
Performed by the leading artists of the ‘St. Petersburg Opera’ theatre, winners of All-Russian and international competitions, the programme will feature arias and scenes from famous operas by Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Donizetti, Gounod, Puccini, Bizet, Mozart, Rossini, Mascagni, Dvořák, Cilea, Borodin, and many others.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 22:00
34, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Event By invitationRosatom Assembly: Reviving the Traditions of the Russian Ball / Sheremetev Palace – Museum of Music
The Rosatom State Corporation Dance Club, with the support of the Government of St. Petersburg, invites participants of the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum to spend an evening in a unique format combining the traditions of the Russian ball with contemporary networking.
This convivial evening of dance will bring guests together around shared values of trust, respect, and open intercultural dialogue, helping to strengthen the foundations of partnership laid on the sidelines of the Forum through the universal language of dance.
The programme includes dances from the Standard, Latin, and mixed categories, Argentine tango, exhibition performances by champions, and dance masterclasses for guests.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 22:00
13, Italianskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketLe voyage dans la Lune Operetta by Jacques Offenbach / Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy
The authors’ ironic and fantastical tale of a journey from Earth to the Moon aboard a cannon, the desire to discover what lies ‘beyond the horizon’, the quest to find new worlds, money and power, fathers and children, and, finally, love – without which no operetta would be complete. It is in this witty take on these themes that we find a resemblance with our own times.
The benevolent ruler Vlan, king of a certain fantastical land, has driven his kingdom to bankruptcy, and now he eagerly awaits the return of his son, Prince Caprice, who was supposed to have gained some sense whilst abroad, so that he might take the royal throne and set the country’s affairs to rights. But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree: instead of studying, Caprice lazed about and learnt nothing; he has no desire to get to grips with the affairs of state or to rule the country. As for how he ended up on the Moon, and what happened next, you’ll only find out in the theatre…
12+
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 21:10
65, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Performance By ticketMozart and Salieri / Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre At the Small Stage
In Alexandra Tolstosheva’s production of Mozart and Salieri, two actors and one musician (Pavel Yurinov, Andrei Feskov, and Vladimir Rozanov) improvise, rearrange the staging and swap roles, re-enacting Pushkin’s text anew each time. It may be performed two, three or four times – it all depends on the performers’ capacity for improvisation. And it is in these repetitions that the true story of the interdependence between contrasting acting temperaments, musical structures, rhythms and rhymes comes to life. The true story of Mozart and Salieri.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 19:00 – 20:45
56, Angliyskaya Naberezhnaya
Concert By invitationPrayer and Dream Organ concert at the Concert Hall on English Embankment
The concert hall on English Embankment at Chaliapin Musical Theatre is a new musical venue in St. Petersburg, which opened in January 2026 following extensive restoration work. Housed in the building of the former English Church, the hall impresses with its unique Victorian interior featuring murals, mosaics, and stained-glass windows. The jewel in the venue’s crown is the restored 150-year-old English organ.
On 26 September, the Prayer and Dream concert will be performed by one of the most renowned organists, Alexander Novoselov, Honoured Artist of the Republic of Karelia. The programme will feature works by composers from different eras, united by the theme of spiritual quests and visions of a beautiful future.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 20:00 – 22:00
2, Ulitsa Mikhaylovskaya
Concert By ticketAn evening of piano (Boris Berezovsky) / St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonic named after D.D. Shostakovich
A solo programme by world academic music star Boris Berezovsky in the Great Hall of the Philharmonic. One of the most sought-after pianists in the world, Boris Berezovsky is famous for his collaborations with world-class orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonia, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, and many others.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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26 September 21:00 – 23:00
New Holland Island, 2 Admiralty Canal Embankment, Saint Petersburg
Film screening Free admissionCulture Unites Open-Air Film Screening
A programme of short films by young directors from the Forum’s participating countries.
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26 September 22:00 – 23:30
The State Hermitage, 34 Palace Embankment, Saint Petersburg
Museum Tickets purchased independentlyMuseums of the Night City Tour — a deliberately long title to test wrapping in the card heading layout
A night tour of the state rooms with an introduction to the collection.
Tickets are purchased independently on the museum website.
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27 September 06:00 – 22:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Park By badgeGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace Park is one of the most beautiful and enigmatic suburban parks in St. Petersburg. By creating man-made landscapes among natural coniferous forests and erecting park pavilions, the architects and gardeners of the past succeeded in infusing the imperial estates with elements of European architecture and transforming the harsh northern landscape.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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27 September 08:00 – 19:45
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Park By badgeAlexandria Park / Peterhof
In 2026, Alexandria Park will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its foundation: it was laid out in 1826 by decree of Emperor Nicholas I and named in honour of his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, to the east of Lower Park. Unlike the formal Lower Park, Alexandria is an English-style landscape park, designed by the architect Adam Menelas and the landscape architect Peter Erler. For almost a century, ‘Her Majesty’s Own Alexandria Country House’ served as a secluded summer residence for four generations of the Romanov imperial family. Today, the park is home to outstanding examples of Romantic architecture – the Cottage Palace, the Farmhouse Palace and the Gothic Chapel – making Alexandria a unique ensemble of Russian Romantic garden and park design. It is part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve.
Admission with Forum participant badges. Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
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27 September 09:50 – 20:30
Peter and Paul Fortress
Museum By badgeState Museum of the History of St. Petersburg / Peter and Paul Fortress
The State Museum of the History of St. Petersburg is one of the biggest historical museums in Russia. The museum’s collection contains over 1.3 million exhibits, reflecting the history of the city on the Neva from its founding to the present day.
The centerpiece of the museum is the Peter and Paul Fortress, a unique monument of history, architecture, and fortification art of the 18th–20th centuries.
The dominant feature of the architectural ensemble is the Peter and Paul Cathedral – one of the most iconic symbols of St. Petersburg, the burial vault of the Imperial House of Romanov.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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27 September 10:00 – 20:00
Moscow, 21, Tverskaya Ulitsa, Building 1, exhibition hall №3
Еxhibition Self purchase“More Than a Theatre” Project Exhibition / State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia (Moscow)
The Franco-Russian Dialogue Association, together with its Russian partners, presents “More Than a Theatre”, a project marking 250 years of Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre.
The project turns its attention to the Bolshoi of today, and specifically to those who serve on Russia’s foremost stage. Distinguished masters of sculpture and painting, among them Oleg Zakomorny, Vadim Kirillov, Viktor Korneev, and Andrei Remnev, have created works capturing the theatre’s outstanding figures: Valery Gergiev, Yury Grigorovich, Makhar Vaziev, Svetlana Zakharova, Denis Rodkin, Vladislav Lantratov, Svetlana Lachina, and many others.
The culmination of the project will be a series of exhibitions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Paris, presenting for the first time the complete collection of works created for it. The project comprises more than 90 pieces: paintings, graphic works, and sculpture.
In Moscow, “More Than a Theatre” will run at the State Central Museum of Contemporary History of Russia from 23 September 2026 to 10 January 2027.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets independently at the Museum’s ticket office. Tickets for the permanent displays and temporary exhibitions go off sale 30 minutes before the Museum closes. Visitors entitled to concessions may obtain their tickets at the ticket office. Those using a free or concessionary ticket must present documentary proof of entitlement at the entrance.
Tickets may be paid for using the Pushkin Card.
Information about guided tours and how to book will be published on the Museum's official website, sovrhistory.ru.
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27 September 10:00 – 18:00
94, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki. Entrance to the exhibition from 21, Ulitsa Dekabristov
Еxhibition By invitation“Our Home Reminded Us of a Museum…” Dutch Painting of the 17th–19th Centuries from the Collection of the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate (St. Petersburg Palace of Culture for Education Workers (Yusupov Palace on the Moika)
More than half of the collection of Dutch paintings held by the Arkhangelskoye Museum-Estate is being presented for the first time. The Nikolaevsky Hall of the Yusupov Palace has been arranged to recreate the setting of the gallery of paintings once owned by the Yusupov princes, featuring furniture and decorative and applied arts from the collection of the Yusupov Palace on the Moika. Twelve of the 28 paintings have returned to the walls of the Palace. The exhibition features paintings by Dutch artists in a variety of genres. The exhibition texts include materials from the hand-drawn catalogue compiled by Prince Yusupov, the founder of one of the richest private art collections.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission on any day from September 24 to 27.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your inviation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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27 September 10:00 – 18:00
7, Alexandrovsky Park
Еxhibition By badge“Weapons of the Peoples of Russia” Exhibition Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation
In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, as part of the Days of Army Culture, the Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps will open the exhibition entitled “Weapons of the Peoples of Russia”, featuring more than 130 items from the museum's collections.
Visitors will see a unique collection encompassing the gunsmith’s art of the peoples of the Caucasus, a variety of arms and weaponry of the peoples of Central Asia, and the weapons of the peoples of Siberia and the Far East, most of which are on display for the first time.
The collection began to take shape at the museum during the reign of Empress Elizabeth and has been added to ever since with new pieces reflecting the art of weapon-making among the peoples of Russia.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Tour bookings by telephone: +7 (812) 232 0296
Open 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays.
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27 September 10:00 – 18:00
118, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Museum By badgeThe Derzhavin Museum Estate
The Derzhavin Museum Estate is a unique memorial site, reconstructed between 2003 and 2011. Besides the mansion where Gavriil Derzhavin lived from 1791 to 1816 and the House Theatre, this town estate also comprises an Orangery and an Estate Garden.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Entry to the Museum Estate exposition without a guided tour, to the exhibitions in the West and East Wings, and to the Estate Garden is by badge.
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27 September 10:00 – 18:00
12, Naberezhnaya Reki Moiki
Museum By badgeAlexander Pushkin. Life and Work Museum
The literary and monographic exposition opened in 1999 in the former mansion of the Princes Volkonsky. Unique exhibits from Pushkin’s era are displayed across the museum’s seventeen halls, among them contemporary likenesses of Pushkin and his circle, along with memorial objects including the poet's writing desk from the house at Boldino.
Original costumes worn by the characters in the film “The Prophet: The Story of Alexander Pushkin” are woven naturally into the display.
Forum participants are admitted on presentation of a badge. Please present your badge at the museum's ticket office to receive a free ticket. Independent access to the museum’s “Pushkin: Life and Work” exposition, without a guided tour.
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27 September 10:00 – 18:00
14, Ulitsa Pochtamptskaya
Museum By badgeMuseum of the History of Religion
The State Museum of the History of Religion is the only museum in Russia – and one of only a handful of museums in the world – that tells the story of the origin and development of religion. The museum’s collection contains more than 200,000 exhibits, the oldest dating back more than 200 million years. These are historical and cultural monuments from various countries, eras, and peoples: from the Archaic period, ancient Egypt and Israel to the early European Middle Ages; from Ancient Greece and Rome to modern times. Visitors can explore exhibits covering three world religions: Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, as well as Judaism and the national religions of India, China, and Japan.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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27 September 10:00 – 17:00
22a, Ulitsa Chkalovа, Gatchina
Museum Self purchasePrioratsky Palace
Prioratsky Palace, resembling a medieval Catholic monastery, was built in 1799 to a design by architect Nikolai Lvov for the Knights of the Order of Malta. It is Russia’s only rammed-earth structure of the late 18th century.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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27 September 10:00 – 17:00
1, Krasnoarmeisky Prospekt, Gatchina
Museum Self purchaseGatchina Palace and Estate Museum
Gatchina Palace was built in the 18th century as a country retreat and hunting lodge for Count Grigory Orlov, a favourite of Catherine II. From 1783 until the Revolution, Gatchina Palace was the property of the imperial family. As you explore the exhibition at your own pace, you will see the restored state rooms of Pavel I era, including the Upper Throne Room and the State Bedchamber, admire the Greek Gallery, and stroll through the romantic underground passage.
Forum guests and participants can purchase tickets online independently, subject to availability. Please check the official website for ticket information.
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27 September 10:00 – 16:45
7, Ulitsa Sadovaya
Еxcursion By badgeSightseeing tour of the Catherine Palace at the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum and Heritage Site
The exhibition at the Catherine Palace Museum covers the over 300-year history of this outstanding monument and tells about the creativity of the architects who took part in its construction and decoration in the 18–19th centuries, as well as the achievements of the restorers who revived the Palace after the Great Patriotic War.
The Catherine Palace is a wonderful example of Russian baroque, amazing visitors with the luxurious furnishings of the Great Hall and the golden succession of grand reception rooms. These include the world-renowned Amber Room, which has been given new life.
Participants can attend by presenting their badge. You must present your badge at the Church Gates, then go to the Catherine Palace lobby and pick up a free ticket to join the excursions taking place in the museum.
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27 September 10:00 – 17:30
9, Solyanoy Pereulok
Museum By badgeState Memorial Museum of the Defence and Siege of Leningrad
The museum is a national repository for the preservation of historical memory: thousands of exhibits were donated by veterans and survivors of the Siege of Leningrad. The collection contains more than 54,000 items – everything from weapons and photographs to manuscripts and works of art. Located on Solyanoy Pereulok, the museum combines documentary evidence of the Siege with modern technology, helping visitors grasp the scale of the tragedy and the magnitude of the heroism of the city’s defenders.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
For guided tours, advance booking is available by phone: +7 (812) 275 7547.
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27 September 10:00 – 17:30
43, Ulitsa Kirochnaya
Museum By badgeState Historical Museum of Alexander Suvorov
The museum was erected in St. Petersburg in honour of Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, built over the period 1901–1904 with the highest permission of Emperor Nicholas II. The Preobrazhensky Regiment provided the site for the museum – part of its parade ground on the corner of Ulitsa Kirochnaya and Ulitsa Tavricheskaya. Both wings of the museum’s main façade are decorated with mosaic paintings by N. Maslennikov and M. Zoshchenko.
Visitors can look around the permanent exhibition dedicated to the life of Alexander Suvorov.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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27 September 10:00 – 19:00
32/1, Ulitsa Basseynaya
Museum By badge“Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre
The “Russia – My History” Museum and Exhibition Centre is a modern exhibition space with permanent multimedia exhibits that present the periods of Russian history under the Rurik and Romanov dynasties. The history of St. Petersburg is told in the “St. Petersburg. History and Development” multimedia exhibit and the “My Petersburg” exhibit.
The Museum and Exhibition Centre also regularly hosts various temporary exhibitions and events.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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27 September 10:00 – 18:00
4/1, Ulitsa Inzhenernaya
Museum By badgeRussian Ethnographic Museum
The Russian Ethnographic Museum is one of the largest ethnographic museums in the world. Its collection numbers around 500,000 exhibits. The museum’s permanent displays and exhibitions offer a window into the distinctive material world of the peoples inhabiting the vast expanses of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia, and Central Asia. The museum preserves cultural monuments of 157 peoples of Russia and neighbouring countries.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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27 September 10:00 – 18:00
1, Ploshchad Alexandra Nevskogo
Museum By badgeNecropolis of the 18th Century / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
There are 184 gravestones within the necropolis, a significant number of which were designed by prominent sculptors and architects and reflect the history of Russian art from the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century.
The Necropolis is the final resting place of the writers Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolay Karamzin, Vassily Zhukovsky, and Ivan Krylov; the composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Mikhail Glinka, Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov; the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya; and the artists Alexander Ivanov, Ivan Shishkin, Arkhin Kuindzhi, and others.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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27 September 10:00 – 16:45
2–4, Ulitsa Kuibysheva
Museum By badgeThe State Museum of the Political History of Russia / Main museum building
The State Museum of the Political History of Russia is located in the centre of St. Petersburg in historic Art Nouveau mansions that once belonged to the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya and the timber industrialist Vasily Brandt. The museum’s collection includes around half a million items and spans the period of Russian political history from the reign of Catherine II to the present day. Its exhibitions, thematic displays, as well as educational programmes and projects reflect the museum’s mission of demonstrating the continuity of Russian statehood (the Russian Empire, the USSR, and the Russian Federation).
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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27 September 10:00 – 16:45
6, Admiralteysky Proezd
Museum By badgeGorokhovaya 2 State Security Museum
The “Gorokhovaya 2 Department. History of the Political Police and State Security Agencies of Russia from the 19th to the 20th Centuries” of the State Museum of Political History of Russia is situated in a late-18th century mansion built by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi for the president of the medical college, Baron Ivan Fitinghoff. The building was sold to the State Treasury in 1804, becoming the Provincial Government Chambers soon after. Future Decembrists Ivan Pushchin and Kondraty Ryleyev worked as judges in the judicial chamber.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
Forum participants are invited to take the tour free of charge in groups of five or more people upon prior request.
Alexandra Kartavtseva, Head of the Excursion Service: +7 (812) 600 2000 (ext. 257), a.kartavceva@polithistory.ru
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27 September 10:30 – 17:00
Park Aleksandria, Peterhof
Museum By badgeFarmhouse Palace / Peterhof
The Farmhouse Palace is one of the architectural landmarks of Alexandria Park, which forms part of the Peterhof State Museum and Reserve. The palace derives its unusual name from the ‘Ten-Cow Farm’, built in the early 1830s by the architect Adam Menelas as a summer residence for Emperor Nicholas I. Over the following decades, the modest country pavilion was rebuilt on several occasions under the direction of the architect Andrey Stakenschneider and, by the late 1850s, had been transformed into a fully-fledged palace in the ‘English Gothic’ style. The country palace became the favourite summer residence of Emperor Alexander II and his family, and its appearance and interiors reflect not the ceremonial side, but the private, domestic life of the ruling dynasty. The halls and memorial rooms preserve the atmosphere of family life at the imperial court in the mid-19th century.
Forum participants present their badges at the ticket office to receive an entrance ticket.
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27 September 11:00 – 12:30
36, Liteyny Prospekt
By badgeLecture: “Dumas Visits Nekrasov” / Nikolay Nekrasov Memorial Apartment
The lecture covers the circumstances of Alexandre Dumas’s visit to Russia, the impressions the two writers formed of one another, the recollections of their contemporaries, and the historic recipes for the dishes Dumas was served in St. Petersburg.
The lecture is free of charge, by prior booking on +7 (812) 416 4962.
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27 September 11:00 – 17:00
30, Rasstannaya Ulitsa
Museum By badgeLiteratorskie Mostki Necropolis / State Museum of Urban Sculpture
Since 1939, the Literatorskie Mostki Necropolis has been a branch of the State Museum of Urban Sculpture. It takes its name from one of the paths leading to the graves of the celebrated nineteenth-century literary critics Vissarion Belinsky, Nikolai Dobrolyubov, and Dmitry Pisarev.
Occupying the northern part of the Volkovskoye Orthodox Cemetery, the necropolis became the final resting place both of outstanding writers and scholars of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and of well-known figures of our own day. Buried here are some of the most distinguished names in literature, among them Ivan Turgenev, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, Alexander Blok, and Olga Berggolts; the eminent scientists Dmitry Mendeleev, Ivan Pavlov, and Alexander Popov; the masters of stage and screen Nikolai Akimov, Grigori Kozintsev, Vladislav Strzhelchik, and Efim Kopelyan; the composers Vasily Solovyov-Sedoi and Valery Gavrilin; and many others.
What gives the necropolis’s collection of memorials its particular artistic character is that, alongside works by such well-known nineteenth-century sculptors as Robert Bach and Leopold Bernstamm, it also holds a substantial body of Soviet-era memorial sculpture, including works by Mikhail Anikushin, Matvey Manizer, Vladimir Ingal, and Igor Krestovsky.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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27 September 11:00 – 14:30
4/2, Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa, Letter I, apt. 119N, entrance through the archway at 2, Cheboksarsky Pereulok
Еxcursion By badge“The History of the House of Writers” tour / Mikhail Zoshchenko Memorial Apartment
“The History of the House of Writers”, including admission ticket
You will learn about the literary, musical, theatrical, and cinematic history of the House of Writers: why the building was nicknamed the “head-scraper”, whether its residents were happy in the Soviet era, how they lived through the years of the repressions, and which Soviet bestsellers were written here. Among the well-known writers who lived in the building were Mikhail Zoshchenko, Veniamin Kaverin, Nikolay Zabolotsky, Evgeny Schwartz, and Boris Tomashevsky.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 11:00, 13:00, 14:30.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 571 7819.
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27 September 11:00 – 16:30
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badge“Word Catchers” tour / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
A finalist in the prestigious national Museum Olympus competition, this exhibition explores the formative period of Russian and Soviet literature in the first third of the twentieth century, as the city itself transformed from St. Petersburg to Petrograd and then to Leningrad.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30, 16:30.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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27 September 11:00 – 19:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition: ‘Early Rembrandt: The Lost Masterpiece. The Baptism of the Eunuch by the Apostle Philip’ / Museum of Christian Culture
The Museum of Christian Culture is a spiritual and educational centre which celebrated the 5th anniversary of its opening in May 2026. The museum’s collection features artefacts of world culture dating from the early centuries of Christianity to the present day: Russian icons from the Modern Era, paintings by famous artists, including works by Botticelli, Luini, Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael, and other outstanding masters; jewellery from the House of Fabergé; antique books and pilgrimage relics; and antique artefacts.
As part of the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum, a unique exhibition project is being presented, dedicated to one of the most outstanding figures in Dutch painting – Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. At the heart of the exhibition is a work long thought to be lost: Rembrandt’s painting The Baptism of the Eunuch by the Apostle Philip. This work is a unique example of the great artist’s early period and the development of his painting style.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
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27 September 11:00 – 21:00
35, Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa
Еxhibition By badgeExhibition ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’ / ROSPHOTO State Museum and Exhibition Centre
The exhibition project ‘Russia 1896: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Industrial and Art Exhibition’, which was organized with the support of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Ministry of Culture, is dedicated to the history of Russian industrial and art exhibitions. These unique events served as major showcases for the country’s economic, scientific, and cultural achievements between 1829 and 1896. The exhibition focuses on the 16th All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition held in Nizhny Novgorod in 1896, an event of unprecedented scale that surpassed even the famous 1889 World’s Fair in Paris and the 1882 All-Russian Exhibition in Moscow in terms of its scope and significance. It marked the pinnacle of the country’s industrial and creative ascension and served as a visual recap of Russia’s development throughout the 19th century.
The display includes unique photographs, rare presentation albums, and archival publications from the collections of ROSPHOTO, the Nizhny Novgorod State Historical and Architectural Museum and Reserve, the Russian Museum of Photography, the Institute for the History of Material Culture and the Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and various private collections. These items not only showcase the outstanding engineering and artistic achievements of the era, but also enable visitors to experience the spirit of a time defined by great transformation.
Present your Forum participant badge at the venue’s ticket office for free admission.
Guided tours are available by prior appointment. Please book by calling +7 (911) 240 2916 (Mon–Fri, 10:00–18:00) or emailing excursion@rosphoto.org (at least two days before the planned visit for groups of 5 to 15 people).
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27 September 11:00 – 20:00
1, St. Isaac’s Square
Еxhibition By badge‘The Stage’ exhibition / Manege Museum and Exhibition Complex
‘The Stage’ exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of the National Theatre Society. It is a large-scale project exploring the theatre, its conventions and its key figures – personalities, the theatre community as a whole and, of course, the audience. This is not just a linear account of Russian theatre development, but an attempt to convey the emotional experience of a performance through painting, graphic art, sculpture and video art. The exhibition will feature productions that have been landmark events in Russian theatre, with a focus on their historical and social context.
Forum participants can attend by presenting their badge.
Tours are available with general admission. To book a tour, please send an email to tour@manege.spb.ru (please state your preferred tour date in the subject of your email, and include your contact telephone number in the body of the email).
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27 September 11:00 – 16:30
1, Ploshchad Stachek
Museum By badgeNarva Triumphal Arch / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘The Bronze Knight’ exhibition is not so much about the metal itself and the techniques used to work with it, but rather about making the most of the material’s potential and the artist’s search for the ideal means of realizing their vision. A recurring theme is the relationship between craftsmanship and creativity in artistic practices of the 19th century and the present day, as well as society’s perception of the artist during these two distinct historical periods.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
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27 September 12:00 – 18:00
5, Pereulok Lodygina
Еxcursion By badgeExhibition “Leonardo da Vinci: The Battle of Anghiari” / Museum of Christian Culture
A unique exhibition project dedicated to one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous works – The Battle of Anghiari – features an exclusive guided tour programme for guests and participants of the Forum. The exhibition centres on a study of Leonardo da Vinci’s lost mural, created in the early 16th century at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The Battle of Anghiari is regarded as one of the artist’s most innovative works, which has not survived to the present day due to the use of experimental techniques.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a panel on which Leonardo worked out the compositional and colour solutions for his future masterpiece – a unique work that holds the secret characteristic of the master’s art. The project has been initiated by the Museum of Christian Culture – one of St. Petersburg’s most significant spiritual and educational centres – in collaboration with the State Hermitage Museum.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Book in advance by emailing info@mcc.spb.ru or by calling +7 (812) 679 4723.
Admission is by session; sessions start daily at 12:00, 14:00, 17:00 and 18:00.
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27 September 12:00 – 18:00
8, Vyazemsky Pereulok
Museum By badgeAnikushin’s Studio / Part of State Museum of Urban Sculpture
‘In Progress’ exhibition is dedicated to the studio itself and to the creative and technical processes that once took place there and continue to this day.
The studio was constructed in 1969 specifically for work on the city’s monuments. Mikhail Anikushin worked there for almost thirty years. Visitors will get a chance to explore the working space of the monumental sculptor and follow the main stages in the creation of the monument.
What is modelling? What does the framework look like? How many times can a sculpture be enlarged? Interactive zones will help visitors understand the intricacies of a sculptor’s work: visitors to the workshop will be able to look inside a huge head of Lenin, assemble a model of the Cherkasov monument, and see for themselves that even the angle of an arm can alter the mood of the entire piece.
Access is granted upon presentation of a Forum participant’s badge.
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27 September 12:30 – 13:30
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badge“The Formula of the Future” tour / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
This large-scale interactive exhibition will change the way visitors think about Soviet science fiction and take them on an unforgettable journey into a world of imagination and science. More than an exhibition, it is a new kind of museum space where classics meet contemporary art and technology. The exhibition tells the story of how the bold ideas of Tsiolkovsky, Yefremov, the Strugatsky brothers, and many others shaped the nation’s scientific dreams and influenced real discoveries.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 12:30 and 15:30. Duration: 1 hour.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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27 September 13:00 – 14:00
4/2, Malaya Konyushennaya Ulitsa, Letter I, apt. 119N, entrance through the archway at 2, Cheboksarsky Pereulok
Еxcursion By badge“The Life and Work of Mikhail Zoshchenko” tour / Mikhail Zoshchenko Memorial Apartment
This general tour of the Mikhail Zoshchenko memorial apartment introduces visitors to the writer’s biography and his remarkable creative path, from the flourishing of his career to its devastating collapse. You will see how writers lived in the twentieth century, along with the setting of Zoshchenko’s memorial study and his personal belongings.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
Admission is by scheduled session; sessions begin daily at 14:00 and 17:00. Duration: 1 hour.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 571 7819.
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27 September 13:00 – 15:40
6, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Performance By invitationSwan Lake, a Ballet in Three Acts / St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre named after Leonid Jacobson
Swan Lake is one of the most celebrated and perfect creations of the art of ballet. The classical choreography of Marius Petipa and Vyacheslav Ivanov, set against Vyacheslav Okunev’s unique stage designs, invites audiences to immerse themselves in the story of the struggle between light and darkness and to enjoy the famous “swan” scenes that have captivated audiences the world over.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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27 September 14:00 – 15:00
1A, Prospekt Pyatiletok
Еxcursion By badgeTwo-in-One Tour: “The Formula of the Future” + “Word Catchers” / Events and Exhibition Space of the ‘Twentieth Century’ State Literary Museum
Join us for a special route linking two landmark literary exhibitions. We begin with “Word Catchers”, then set off into the future with “The Formula of the Future”. This is a journey through time, from the fervent literary world of the past to the visionary worlds of Russian science fiction that helped bring that future into being.
Admission with Forum participant badges.
For information, please call: +7 (812) 718 4412.
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27 September 18:00 – 21:30
114, Naberezhnaya Reki Fontanki
Performance By ticketThe Sorianos, an Italian Comedy, a play by Eduardo de Filippo / «St. Petersburg Youth Theatre on the Fontanka Main Stage
What should you do if your partner, despite a 25-year relationship, is in no hurry to propose? Are there forces capable of leading your beloved down the aisle? And how can you make this happen if it turns out he’s not averse to trying his luck elsewhere? Many women would fall into despair, but not Filumena! Italians are expressive, and the play is equally emotional, brimming with passion.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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27 September 18:00 – 22:40
12, Vladimirsky Prospekt
Performance By ticketDemons / Lensovet St. Petersburg Academic Theatre
By turning to Fyodor Dostoevsky’s outstanding cautionary novel, the theatre hopes that the director and cast will be able to speak to our own time and its pressing issues, creating a gripping tapestry of human passions.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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27 September 19:00 – 21:40
6, Ploshchad Ostrovskovo
Performance By invitationSwan Lake, a Ballet in Three Acts / St. Petersburg State Academic Ballet Theatre named after Leonid Jacobson
Swan Lake is one of the most celebrated and perfect creations of the art of ballet. The classical choreography of Marius Petipa and Vyacheslav Ivanov, set against Vyacheslav Okunev’s unique stage designs, invites audiences to immerse themselves in the story of the struggle between light and darkness and to enjoy the famous “swan” scenes that have captivated audiences the world over.
Forum participants need the invitation for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your invitation at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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27 September 19:00 – 21:30
4, Aleksandrovsky Park
Performance By ticketTHE RED SNOWBALL TREE Theatre performance / Baltic House Festival Theatre
Director: Sergey Potapov.
The play is based on the famous film novella by Vasily Shukshin, a director, actor and outstanding 20th-century Russian writer.
All of Shukshin’s works are characterized by keen observation and authenticity, a sincere love for his homeland and a deep understanding of the Russian soul.
The production carefully preserves the author’s text, its depth and originality, and the writer’s recognizable and unique style.
Yegor Prokudin is released from prison and decides to start a new life. His feelings for a girl named Lyuba mark the beginning of his transformation. He wants to live and work in the countryside, close to his beloved, leaving the past behind him for good. But Yegor’s old friends cannot bear to see him enjoy a peaceful, quiet life.
‘Kalina Krasnaya’ resonates with all the emotions experienced by modern people.
The play explores themes of spiritual rebirth, redemption and the desire to change one’s life for the better.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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27 September 19:00 – 21:40
13, Italianskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticketTime of Love Operetta by Florimond Hervé / Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy
Are you ready to spend an evening in the company of good-natured and carefree townspeople, whose main aim in life is not to conquer the world but to find personal happiness? And what if there’s enchanting music to accompany it all? Then we look forward to seeing you at the Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy for the operetta ‘Time of Love’!
The libretto, which presents a classic interplay of situations, is by no means lacking in originality: 42 years pass between the acts! And therein lies its particular charm: time marches on, yet love remains the driving force behind all the processes of life.
12+
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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27 September 19:00 – 21:20
19, Italyanskaya Ulitsa
Performance By ticket“Baron Munchausen” / Komissarzhevskaya Academic Drama Theatre
Director Roman Gabria and designer Anvar Gumarov present their protagonist as a flamboyant romantic philosopher as well as the manager of his own talent. The action is transposed to the present day, in a Hanover of sorts. An eternal wanderer, part magician, part madman, he hurtles from world to world. Legends circulate about the exploits of this ‘alien’, and the major television channels vie to secure him for an exclusive interview. Yet he, in love with a silent young woman, dreams of something inconceivably beautiful and human.
Forum participants need a ticket for admission.
Please confirm you will attend in your Roscongress personal account and then pick up your ticket at the Festival of Culture desk in the Hermitage General Staff Building. Seating is limited.
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