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Winter Palace – |
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Once you've majestically ascended the Jordan Staircase and squeezed through the tiny narrow doorway at the top, you'll find yourself
in the Field Marshal's Hall, which has Peter the Great's coronation
carriage. If you go straight, you'll see Peter's Throne Room, which wasn't really the throne for Peter the Great, but it's a great looking
throne. Continue straight to the Armorial Hall where there's an 18th
century imperial carriage. Turn left into the Hall of St. George,
a suitably stately setting for the tsars to make announcements and a really
spectacular throne with the imperial insignia. |
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Back at the Field Marshal's Hall, if you go right, you'll
find yourself in the long narrow Portrait Gallery of the Romanov Dynasty.
Stop to look at the portraits of the princesses and little grand dukes,
dressed in elaborate court clothing. |
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Proceed through the Malachite Room, lavishly decorated
with green stone columns and lots of gilded mirrors and chairs to the Russian
Rooms. These "homey" rooms re-create the Romanov palace life,
each room is a different style and period, spanning a hundred years. You
can get decorating ideas for your living room at home, or perhaps a wood
paneled library in a Gothic style. In the Gold Drawing Room, the walls and
ceiling are covered with gilding! Especially touching is the nursery, with
a tea table set for the imperial children. |
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Hermitage – |
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The Peacock Clock in the Pavilion Hall (Room 204) is
a must see. This magnificent gilded clock with automata, was made by a celebrated
English clockmaker in the 18th century. The "clock" is a peacock
on a gilded tree branch (completed with gilded leaves), an owl in a cage,
and a rooster. |
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Each Wednesday at 5:00 pm, the Peacock Clock is wound up.
The gilded peacock spreads its tail, the "feathers" raise upright,
and the whole bird rotates around, while the owl bobs in his cage, opening
and closing his eyes. This is truly wonderful to see, but crowds line up,
so get there early to get a place close to the peacock. (While you're waiting,
you can admire the marble floors and chandeliers in the Pavilion Room.) |
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Close to the Pavilion Hall are all the paintings by Rembrandt (Room 254). Take the time to look at these glorious, luminous paintings.
Rembrandts really are worthwhile to see in the original – no
reproduction can capture the humanity that glows from these portraits. |
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Stroll down the Raphael Loggia, a long hall gorgeously
painted with copies of Italian frescoes, to the Knight's Hall (Room
243) where you can see arms and armor – rapiers, swords, cutlasses,
spurs, shields, and a whole display of knights in shiny armor on horseback. |
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On the Ground Floor, check out the Greek, Roman and Egyptian
antiquities, especially the Jupiter Hall (Room 107) which has a gigantic
Roman statue of Jupiter, decked out in a gilded toga, holding a tiny little
Nike, Goddess of Victory, balanced on a golden ball. |
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General Staff Building – |
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Impressionist paintings – Located in a brand new wing of the museum, the collection of Impressionist and early 20th century paintings
is boggling –Picasso, Gaugin, Monet, Renoir, Matisse, Cezanne,
Van Gogh –an overabundance of riches. A whole whole room for Matisse, the bright colors of
Matisse paintings are fun for kids, and don't miss his family portrait, The Painter's Family. |
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Palace Square – |
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After you've admired the Alexander Column, toddlers
will be charmed by a ride in a horse carriage. Or, to the west side
of the Hermitage, have your photos taken in 18th century clothing, costumes come in kid's sizes. |
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Tips for enjoying the
Hermitage Museum |
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Crowds – In summer, the good news is that the museum is noisy,
due to the large number of tour groups. You don't have to worry about
kids talking too loudly in those "museum silences." The bad
news is that tour groups often block the rooms. Instead of fidgeting until
the group moves on, just quietly edge past them (act like you're a mini-tour
group). Go early in the morning or late in the day to avoid the biggest
crushes. |
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Come more than once – Plan in advance what
to see and try to visit more than once, with short visits each time. (Admission
for children under 17 is free.) For an overview of the museum, click
here for the Hermitage Museum Web site. |
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Bring good maps of the museum – Come equipped
with good maps with detailed floor plans. Kids can improve their map reading
skills – how to find your way out when all the gilded galleries
with European paintings look the same. |
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Audio tours –The pricey self-guided audio
tour in English is very limited. (It's the "open ended" audio
tour handset where you punch in a numbered object and hear an explanation).
For example, in a room full of Rembrandts, there's one long-winded explanation
of one painting. Save your roubles for a good guide book and map of the
museum. |
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Put your kid in the picture –Ask your
kids to point out paintings they like. Snap photos of your child standing
with the painting. Sure to be a hit when they get back home –"Here's
me with my favorite Renoir!" Photos are permitted (except where noted),
but no flash, and be sure to purchase a photo ticket. |
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Strollers –Strollers are okay on the upper floors,
but you'll have to carry the stroller up the stairs or hunt to find the
elevators. |
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Note: The museum has three stories.
On most maps, the floors are labeled Ground Floor, First Floor and Second
Floor. |
