91. Peter and Paul Fortress: Museum of the History of Saint Petersburg - Petrograd, 1703-1918

The Peter & Paul Fortress includes a variety of museums - several legitimate historical sites and nonprofit educational sites, as well as a few kitschy tourist traps (such as a wax museum and torture museum). The site out of the 10 or so options that I was most excited to see was the Museum of the History of Saint Petersburg & Petrograd (1703-1918), located just across from the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul.

This museum included exhibits on architecture, the military, daily life, clothing, transportation, housing, politics, social changes, and technology. Paintings, models, dioramas, archaeological treasures, and material culture over a 215-year period told a rich story. This museum was larger and more extensive than the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg in Rumyantsev Mansion, and featured a more complete picture of the city over the centuries as well as more recently updated exhibits. Although the majority of the signage was in Russian, there were definitely enough fascinating things to hold our interest for a few hours.



A ship's standard from a vessel in the St. Petersburg Baltic fleet, circa 1700-1725:




I have no idea why the cartographer designed this early map of St. Petersburg with south at the top and north at the bottom! Cool map, though:






Fancy writing utensils of Emperor Alexander I:
























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