The year 2022 has united the anniversaries of several representatives of the Russian Imperial Family at once, the ones of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, and Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, born in Peterhof, Grand Duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna (Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz) and her daughter Elena Georgievna (Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg). They spent their childhood in the palaces and parks of Peterhof and Oranienbaum, which enabled the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve to devote the conference of this year to this topic.

The conference was attended by 30 employees of federal museums and archives, universities and research institutions from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl and Novosibirsk.

The speakers' presentations were devoted to the objects and interiors in which children grew up, the interaction between adults and children, as well as the reflection of childhood in personal documents: letters, diaries and memoirs. A separate section was devoted to the education and upbringing of the heir to the throne. An important place in the conference was occupied by a section about the fate of palaces in the childhood of Soviet schoolchildren.

Thanks to serious research, it was possible to consider the theme of childhood in the palace spaces for three centuries: to see the conditions and details, feelings and opinions of the children themselves, their environment and the objective world.

A collection of articles will be published based on the materials of the conference. 

A video recording of the 1th day of the conference:

A video recording of the 2nd day of the conference:

You can watch a specific presentation by selecting it in the conference program.

Conference Work Group:

Anna Vladimirovna Liashko, Candidate of Sciences in Cultural Studies, Head of the Service for the Preservation and Study of Cultural Heritage Monuments

Pavel Vladimirovich Petrov, Doctor of Sciences in History, Head of the Museum Research Department

Svetlana Alekseevna Prantsuzova, Specialist of the Museum Research Department

E-mail: research@peterhofmuseum.ru

Tel.: +7 812 420 56 75

On 27-28 September 2021, the XII conference of the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve was held. This was the second time it had been held online in the autumn. The discussion was devoted to comprehension of the fate of the palaces that belonged to Peter the Great and his contemporaries. Over the course of two days this subject was discussed by researchers from Russia and Europe, representatives of Peter the Great's museums and sites from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Orel, Taganrog, Azov, Vologda, Derbent, Petrozavodsk, Voronezh, Yaroslavl, and also from Paris (France), Zaandam (the Netherlands), Bratislava (Slovakia), Narva and Tallinn (Estonia). The conference participants focused on various issues relating to the history of the construction and use of the palaces and the preservation
of Peter the Great's memory in museum spaces in Russia and abroad.

Architectural initiatives of Peter I are numerous, many cities are proud of the houses, where Peter I stayed, buildings and fortresses laid by Peter I himself or built according to his projects. Some of them, like the ensemble of the Peterhof palaces, have been preserved in memorial integrity for three centuries.
Palaces of Peter the Great, as well as the architectural complexes designed or inspired by him, could be interpreted as "portraits" of the first Emperor of Russia - the embodiment of his personal qualities, political and aesthetic priorities,
and the historical and cultural experience he gained during his European travels. The historical dynamics of the attitude to Peter I as a political figure can be traced in the fate of Peter's architectural monuments.

You can watch a specific speech by clicking on it in the conference program.

Working group of the conference:

Anna V. Liashko, Cand. Sc. Cultural Studies, Head of Department of Cultural Heritage Preservation and Learning,

Pavel V. Petrov, Ph.D. in History, Head of Museum Research Department,

Alexey A. Ashikhmin, Specialist of Museum Research Department

E-mail: research@peterhofmuseum.ru

The 11^th Annual Conference of the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve will be devoted to the engineering aspect of palaces’ life. Not only were imperial residences treasuries of the art and architecture masterpieces, but, as a rule, their owners were the first to use different engineering novelties (such as lifts, electric light, telegraph etc.) on an everyday basis. Back then, the new technologies were supposed to both modernize the everyday life of monarchs and represent their power and superiority. Eventually, some of these inventions became popular among the richest people and afterwards became widespread; others, like the unique Peterhof fountain system, remained unrivalled examples of engineering thought.

We would like to discuss the subject within the framework of STS-studies (Science, Technology and Society), a modern trend in social sciences, which deals with the close connection between technical progress and sociocultural processes. We hope such approach will allow us to go beyond linear history and study the genesis, perception and symbolic value of the new technologies in multidimensional perspective.

We offer to discuss the following issues:

• symbolic value of the new technologies at the palaces;
• social reception of the new technologies in 18^th – early 20^th centuries;
• the system of technology exchange in European culture 18^th – early 20^th centuries;
• inventors and scientists at governor’s court;
• museumification of the engineering constructions of parks and palaces

Scholars from the fields of history, art history, museum studies, and culture studies are welcome to apply. Deadline for submission is 1 February 2020. Please, send your proposals to research@peterhofmuseum.ru. Proposal should contain an abstract (250 words max), your name, affiliation, position, phone number and email.

No registration fee is required.

Working language is Russian (in case of timely submission of the paper English-Russian translation is possible).

For any further questions regarding the conference please contact Pavel Petrov and Maria Yushmanova: research@peterhofmuseum.ru.

Every year thousands of tourists from many cities and countries of the world visit Peterhof in September to enjoy the Autumn Fountain Show that has already become one of the most memorable once in a lifetime events for St. Petersburg.

Each and every year Peterhof dedicates the Show to important dates, cultural milestones and historical heroes. 2019 marks 290 years since the birth of Catherine the Great of Russia. Peterhof was a kind of symbolic place for the Empress, which marked the crucial points in her life.

German-born princess was welcomed in Peterhof as a young bride of the Grand duke Pyotr Fyodorovich, who later converted into unhappy spouse of the Emperor Peter III. Once in a while she would arrive to Peterhof from Oranienbaum to see her only son, the future Emperor Paul I. It was in Peterhof where she met her love Count Grigory Orlov. From Peterhof she rushed towards power and fame to gain the throne. Here started her long-running exhausting emperorship. Catherine the Great adhered to Peterhof as it was established by Peter the Great whose principles she shared.

Multimedia performance entitled #EMPRESS2019 will tell the fascinating story of a small-town girl becoming a great empress and one of the most remarkable personalities in Russian history. It was Catherine the Great who formed Russia’s path of development centuries ahead. It was Catherine the Great who tremendously changed destiny of many nations by turning the fate of Russia itself into compelling novel.

The Autumn Fountain Show is a modern high-tech show that features 3D mapping, holographic projections, powerful pyrotechnics, laser and light effects. It also immerses viewers into long-gone but still mesmerizing 18^th century.

The performance will start at 9 PM. Audience is allowed in the Lower park since 6 PM till 20:45.

The ticket is 1000 Rubles. Children of preschool age (up to 7 years) enjoy free admission to the Show if accompanied by adults having entrance tickets.

Every child in Russia is raised on the tales by this great poet. Within literature classes stories and characters of Pushkin's contemporaries are examined after his novels. Lines from his poems are cited, and performances of his works are admired by everyone in the course of a lifetime. 

The Fountain Show is entitled "The Genius and the Locus", because Peterhof and Alexandria ensembles are no less Pushkin's places than St. Petersburg and Moscow. Alexander Pushkin used to come to Peterhof for Royal ceremonies. His fairytales were recited to Emperor's children. Paths of Peterhof still keep the rustle of splendid gowns and shadows of gentlemen's high hats.

During the theatrical performance on May 18th, dozens of actors will do their best to picture lively sketches on poet's life, as well as on characters of his poems. The dancers will perform fragments of the famous ballets inspired by Pushkin's novels and tales.

As part of the show the Grand cascade will be transformed into numerous bookshelves representing highlights from such masterpieces by Pushkin as "The Captain's Daughter", "Boris Godunov", and "The Story of Peter the Great".

"The Genius and the Locus" performance at the Grand cascade will be completed by the pyrotechnic show.

To attend the Spring Fountain Show one need to buy entry tickets to the Lower park of Peterhof.

Colorful performance on the stage near the Grand Cascade entitled "The Palace Saga" will combine multimedia technologies with spectacular theatrical action. You’ll see the brightest pages of 100-years museum history of imperial residences as told by the main hero – famous art historian Alexander Benois. "The Palace Saga" play will be held in 8 acts: "Balls in Palaces", "Revolution", "Palaces for the People", "Palaces as Houses of Culture", "War", "Revival", "Centers of Attraction" and "Shows in Palaces".

During the spring fountain feast, guests will immerse themselves in the pre-revolutionary atmosphere of the residences and enjoy the dances and music played at the balls. Agitation posters waving above the Grand Cascade will remind about the crucial changes that happened to Palaces in the beginning of the 20^th century. Spectators will learn how imperial residences became the places of rest for the citizens of Soviet Russia in 1920s. During this period sports mini-parades, meetings of aircraft modelers and pioneer rallies took place in the former residences of Peterhof, Pavlovsk, Gatchina and Tsarskoye Selo. The photos of ruined palaces will tell about the horrors of World War II. Spectators will see the revived fountain of Samson through the eyes of the Leningraders. The newsreel of Samson moving along the Nevsky Avenue in 1947 will be broadcast on the screens above the Cascade. The contemporary life of residences will be embodied in the musical fragments dedicated to the well-known holidays in the museum-reserves, such as fashion shows, flower festivals, nights of music and fountain feasts.

For the first time in the history of Peterhof fountain feasts the celebration will go beyond the Lower park. All museum-reserves will be united by means of online translation. The lively opening ceremony of the summer season will be completed by the fireworks illuminating the sky above the Grand Peterhof Palace.

Admission to the show will be available by the tickets to the Lower park. Pre-book the tickets online.

If you’re planning to see the fountains on this day, please do explore one of the most fascinating museums of Peterhof – The Court Entertainment, that is placed on the Palace square just opposite to the main entrance to the Lower park. It is an extensive work of music, light, multimedia projections and acoustic accompaniment, that shares a new view of the unique exhibits.

In case you’ll find yourself stuck in the lines to the Grand Peterhof Palace do not hesitate to have a break from the crowds inside a cozy and informative Museum of the Fountain Craft situated in the eastern wing of the Grand Peterhof Palace. Its exposition is dedicated to the fountain art, the history of creation and development of the water-supply system of Peterhof. The museum gives the opportunity to see the images of the historical buildings, that did not preserve until our days, the fragments of the wooden and cast iron pipes of the XVIII century, parts of the water equipment, fountain nozzles, as well as the tools used by the fountain masters.

Did you ever know that Peterhof Museum-Reserve’s collection includes paintings by Konstantin Petrov-Vodkin, Michael Larionov, Natalia Goncharova, Zinaida Serebryakova, Alexander Benois and Viktor Borisov-Musatov? Have a chance to see these particularly valuable works of late XIX - early XX centuries free of charge in the newly opened Museum of Art Collectors on Pravlenskaya Street 8, just 5 minutes’ walk from the Grand Peterhof Palace. The museum was formed in 2002 on the basis of gifts and wills of the famous Leningrad collectors: Joseph Moiseevich Ezrah; spouses - Rosa Mikhailovna and Alexander Alexandrovich Timofeyevs; Moscow collections of I. E. Kavarskaya and A. V. Usenina.

Want to see some typical architecture and interiors of the early 18^th century? Make a trip to Strelna, 20 km from St. Petersburg, to the Palace of Peter the Great. It is the only construction of the simple suburban homestead of Peter I, that preserved. He was staying here during his frequent visits to Kronstadt, Peterhof and Oranienbaum. In the palace collection, there are private things of the first Russian emperor: the holiday suit of Peter I; the patchwork blanket, that according to the legend, was sewed for the tsar by his spouse Catherine II and the folding screen for the bedroom, painted in the "chinoiserie" style.

Celebrate International Museum Day 2018 in Peterhof!

The tradition of knight carousel is rooted in the times of Henry II. After a tragic death of the king on the jousting tournament, his wife, Catherine Medici tried to find a replacement to a mortal art competition. It all happened in the times when Italian Renaissance was ruling the fashion all over the Europe and so a tradition of a posh celebration came to France as a display of magnificence of monarchs and prosperity of the country. A new type of event was named a horse carousel - massive performances involving dozens of court horse riders acting in a play on an antique script.

Later on in the 19th century Russian Emperor Nicholas I, who selected Gothics as an official style of his residence in the Alexandria park decided to organize a carousel as well. Alexandra - his wife, known as Friederike Luise Charlotte Wilhelmine or "The White Rose" once was honored with a carousel "The magic of the white rose" in Potsdam. Inspired with the traditions of earlier centuries Nicholas I ordered to prepare dresses for ladies and even take old armor from the arsenal for men in order to present a carousel in Tsarskoe Selo in 1829.

We try to continue the tradition and for the ninth time are organizing a carousel in the park that was a gift of Nicholas I to Alexandra. You are welcome!

Equestrian Performance "Four Ends of the Earth" (July 1, 15:00-16:30)

On July 1, 2017 at 3 p.m. mail performance will take place on the grand field near the Farm Palace. This year show is dedicated to the equestrian competition. 

Attractions of the Medieval Fair (open both days 13:00-18:00)

Dance classes
During the event you will be able to dive into the Renaissance age not only by watching the dances, processions and participant performances, but also take part in dance master-classes and after that dance on a real ball.

Costume rent
Ever dreamed to take on a princess dress? Or may be your child would like to try a costume of a marvelous era? Come by to the costume rent tents and chose a costume by your taste.

Games of old times for the whole family
Bow shooting, Saracen tournament, dexterity trials, table games, hoop and horseshoe throwing, boccie, juggling classes et cetera, et cetera...

Fair
Merchants and artisans will offer their goods and show you some secrets of their work.

Tavern
Enjoy the flavors of the traditional Lithuanian cusion and learn more about Medieval dishes and recipes

Useful Information

The tickets for the festival will be on sale in the ticket offices of the Alexandria park at St.Peterburgskiy Ave. entrance and at Zverinskiy Gate entrance. 

Ticket price is 300 Rubles per person. Please note that the ticket entitles you to a single pass to the park. If you leave the park you'll have to buy another ticket to return.

What is the best way to get to the carousel? Take a shuttle bus № 224, № 300, № 424 from the Avtovo metro station or № 103, № 420 if you travel from Leninsky Prospect metro station. The bus stop "Alexandria park" (or "Telegraph") is just besides the ticket office.

Join us at Facebook for more information click here.

During the spring fountain feast, guests will immerse themselves in the authentic Spanish extravaganza and enjoy the flavor of this country and its sunshiny atmosphere.

As part of the theatrical performance entitled "Journey to the Land of Don Quixote" you’ll see the brightest pages of the Spanish history, like dancing to the flamenco rhythm, brave toreros, animated heroes from the paintings by El Greco and Velasquez, surreal world of Salvador Dali, and Don Quixote fighting again with windmills.  

The lively opening ceremony of the summer season will be completed by the fireworks illuminating the sky with the colors of the Spanish flag.

Spring Fountain Show 2017 is conducted with the support from the Ministry for Culture of Russia.  

Admission to the show will be available by the tickets to the Lower park. Pre-book the tickets online.

The palace and park ensemble "Alexandria" was a place for regular summer vacations of the four generations of the Romanov dynasty. It adjoins to the eastern border of the official emperor's residence, separated with the wall from the Lower Park.

On May 18th everyone is welcome to visit the Cottage Palace of Nicholas I, the Farm Palace of Alexander II, and the Palace Telegraph Station free of charge. We're also glad to announca that there will be free entrance to the Park of Alexandria from 9 a.m. till 10 p.m. on this date.

Take your children, friends, and relatives to Alexandria - discover another side of Peterhof Imperial Residence.

More information about history and peculiarities of Alexandria's sights here.

Rapidly developing cinematography ruled the minds of the mass public and changed everyday life. The collection of N.A. Kostrigina, one of the largest collections of city costumes in Russia, contributed to the exhibition the toilets of a resident of St Petersburg, which were influenced by the outfits of the first film stars: sophisticated and refined Vera Kholodnaya, fatally beautiful Vera Karalli, delicate and touching Sophia Goslavskaya.

The exhibition episodes are embedded in the space of the Grand Palace. In the lobby, in front of the Grand Staircase, there are articles of outer clothing of an imaginary heroine: lady's cloaks, pelerines, capes, talmas, sorties de bal. The Throne Hall of the Palace again, as 120 years ago, on the day of the first Imperial film screening, would become a movie theater. The projection shots of the Lumière brothers are back in these walls. In the White Hall evening and ball dresses, tuxedos and morning coats come to life, being included in the phantasmagoria of images of the legendary films of Le Grand Muet.

The museum of the Farm palace, that represents furnishing of living rooms of Alexander II and his family, was opened on the first floor of the Palace in 2010. Interiors of the second floor, chronologically connected with the period of dacha life prosperity of Peterhof, became venue for the new museum.

Having rich experience in innovation projects, Peterhof Museum-Reserve has undertook reconstruction of dacha atmosphere at the turn of the century using modern technologies.

In the second half of XIX century notion "dacha" turned into commonly used for definition of a summer country house for citizens and their families, and exceptional dacha world began to shape around Emperor’s residence in Peterhof. Several Romanov generations spent their summer in the Alexandria Ensemble of Peterhof, where they got some kind of freedom from court conventions, that restrained their way of living. 

On Alexandria's "Private Dacha" (private summer residence) everyone had an opportunity to do favorite activity: fishing, hunting, mushroom and berry picking, walking and horse riding, bicycling and outdoor games. Following tzar's family, high society came to Peterhof, among them - Emperor’s entourage, aristocrats, officials, generals and officers, wealthy citizens. Among the famous dacha dwellers (summer residents) were such families as Benois, M.G. Vrubel, M.F. Kshesinskaya, D.I. Mendeleev, N.A. Nekrasov, A.G. Rubinstein, F.G. San-Galli, S.M. Tretyakov, I.S. Turgenev, P.I. Tchaikovsky, and many oters.

New exhibition project tells about residents of summer Peterhof, and what was the dacha life in a town of Peterhof for court office. Usual social routine was maintained here: summer Peterhof residents got invitations for official events at the court, attended festive dinners and receptions. Besides social entertainments there were also simple dacha pleasures: swimming in the Gulf of Finland, bicycling in the park, picnics, visiting each other. And of course, summer on the dacha was inevitably connected with making outdors jam and flavourful fruit liquors: this way taste of dacha was preserved for the long Saint-Petersburg winter.

Exposition unfolds accordingly to the routine of dacha life: from bustle of the capital and hustle on the railway station to the evening silence and tranquility of country holidays at the seaside. Guest of "Peterhof Summer Residents" project will go up on the veranda of typical dacha house, find themselves in the artist’s workshop, visit aristocrat’s cabinet and lady’s boudoir, children’s room, learn about entertainments and pleasures of Peterhof summer, its flavors, tastes and sounds, feel sadness from autumn parting with Peterhof.

Besides museum halls guests will visit some kind of cinema, where prominent citizens of St. Petersburg tell about peculiarities of summer dacha culture, among them B.V. Averin, S.I. Bogdanov, N.V. Burov, D.A. Granin, Y. O. Gordin, T.V. Chernigovskaya, M.L. Shreter. Project "Peterhof Summer Residents" is aimed at family audience and everyone, who is interested in Saint-Petersburg life at the turn of the century.

Entry tickets fee: adults – 250 rubles, students -150 rubles

For citizens of Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus: adults – 150 rubles, students -100 rubles

Get aquainted with the list of benefits for entry tickets here. 

While restoration of the Western wing of the Grand Palace has been finished, Peterhof Museum-Reserve offers residents and guests of the city new historical museum project – "Oranienbaum through Centuries": in several halls traditional exposition methods and brand-new multimedia technologies are united. Visitors, who are ready to travel through space and time, are accompanied by the voice of the famous journalist Vladimir Posner.

Guests of the Grand Menshikov Palace will discover many interesting facts about ancient Izhora lands. Virtual space allows visitors to get back on a few millenniums ago, find themselves on the shore of the Gulf of Finland aquatory after the end of the Ice Age, and then, see the shaping process of today’s landscape.

Visitors of the museum become participants of thrilling battles of Northern War, go to the command post of Peter I and beneath the walls of besieged fortress "Oreshek". Then, they will get a private audience with the governor of Ingermanlandia, "Duke of Izhora" - A. D. Menshikov, as if they have entered the working cabinet of His Serene Highness.

Unique mechanical model is of a particular interest and shows architectural changes in a palace and park- ensemble throughout decades. Mysteries of restoration and creation of museum exposition in the Grand Menshikov Palace during long years are revealed in a last hall. The creators of the museum have not forgotten about the youngest visitors. Parents can leave their kids with teachers-caregivers in a special equipped room for children, which is suitable both for playing and education.

Peterhof State Museum Reserve has created multimedia project "Oranienbaum through Centuries" together with Studio of scenography and technology "Show Consulting".

Visiting of museum project "Oranienbaum through centuries" is a paid service. 

Entry tickets fee: adults - 200 rubles, students – 100 rubles. 

For citizens of Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus: adults – 100 rubles, students – 50 rubles.