Erarta Travel Inspiration: Your Day at the Must-Visit Museum in St. Petersburg

Erarta dedicates itself exclusively to contemporary art (by definition, that which has been created between 1945 and present time), which does not include famous masters such as Malevich, Kandinsky, or the genre of Russian Constructivism of the 1920s which all fall into the modern art era (1860–1945). Our aim is to show the world that Russia is still home to extremely talented and authentic artists whose work deserves to be admired by the widest possible audience. With the passing of time, contemporary works of art become ‘classic’ – for example, like those created by Warhol, and we believe that many works from our collection, created in their majority by living Russian artists, will also become ingrained in the fabric of the history of art. This is because they all have deep meaning and their creators have something worthy to tell the viewers and their impulse will find resonance with both today’s public and future generations. As far as art forms go, painting, collage, sculpture, object, installation, video art, and science art are represented in the collection that is on display in the Museum Wing, while temporary shows in the Exhibitions Wing also often showcase other forms.

Each work in the museum collection must meet three criteria simultaneously: firstly, we must truly love it; secondly, we must truly believe it’s an outstanding piece of art – the kind of work that is on the level of those that go on to be recognised among the best pieces of their era. And thirdly, we must clearly be able to explain to our viewers why we believe the first two viewpoints apply. Erarta’s permanent collection currently contains over 2800 contemporary works of art by more than 300 artists.

It’s more than allowed – it’s encouraged! Please turn off your flash and snap away. And if you upload photos or videos to social networks, please use #erarta – it makes you eligible for our social media contests and we also publish a roundup of all our favourite visitors’ photos in our groups.

If you have any queries, please contact us using the feedback form on our website.

Absolutely not. All our staff speak English and we put in a huge amount of effort to make sure our foreign guests enjoy their experience. All our content is translated into English, including signage, labels, wall texts, videos, menus, etc. Also, we’re one of the few institutions in St. Petersburg who don’t charge foreign visitors a higher admission fee. We want Erarta to feel like home away from home for you so dispel all fears and come on down!

The museum is open every day except Tuesdays from 11:00 to 23:00. We stay open during all public holidays, even if any of them falls on a Tuesday. To learn more about the museum’s opening hours on a specific day, please visit the news section of our website.

To enter the museum, use the fast track entrance and the turnstiles to the left from the reception area. At the turnstile, scan the barcode in the order confirmation form that was sent to the email address you had provided when placing your order. The barcode can be scanned directly from your phone screen.

If you would like to keep visiting Erarta over the next six months, simply fill out the benefits request form and pay a small surcharge to convert your Single-Visit Ticket into a Six-Month Ticket at counter 9 or 10, located behind the turnstiles. Please note: if you leave the building before submitting the request form, you will not be able to re-enter with the same ticket.

During your first visit, use the fast track entrance, go to counter 1 or 2, and present the order confirmation form that was sent to the email address you had provided when placing your order: you can simply show it on your phone screen. Our staff will help you fill out the Member benefits request form. During your next visits to Erarta, go directly to the turnstiles: they will let you in automatically.

During your first visit after receiving a gift Six-Month Membership, use the fast track entrance and go to counter 1 or 2. Our staff will help you fill out the Member benefits request form. During your next visits to Erarta, go directly to the turnstiles: they will let you in automatically.

To apply for media accreditation, please contact Erarta Museum's Communications Service by completing the feedback form.

If you rode a bicycle to the museum, fasten it to the bike rack at the entrance.

Kick scooters and baby strollers can be left in the museum lobby.

Your luggage, umbrella and similar large items can be left in the cloakroom.

We are located at 2, 29th line of Vasilievsky Ostrov, St. Petersburg, Russia – only a short stroll away from Gorny Institut metro station. Erarta is also easily reachable from Vasileostrovskaya, Primorskaya, and Nevsky Prospect metro stations: there is a range of public transport options from each of them.

from Vasileostrovskaya metro station

bus routes 6, 249
tram route 6
all stop at 28th and 29th lines of Vasilievsky Ostrov

bus routes 1, 128
stop at 26th and 27th lines of Vasilievsky Ostrov

from Primorskaya metro station

bus routes 6, 249
trolleybus route 10
tram routes 1, 6
all stop at 28th and 29th lines of Vasilievsky Ostrov

bus routes 1, 7, 128, 262
stop at 26th and 27th lines of Vasilievsky Ostrov

from Nevsky Prospect metro station

trolleybus routes 10, 11
stop at 28th and 29th lines of Vasilievsky Ostrov

bus route 7
stops at 26th and 27th lines of Vasilievsky Ostrov

Although we are trying to make our museum as visitor-friendly as possible, we seriously doubt that your pets will appreciate the rich variety of art on display as much as you will, so please leave them at home. Enjoy your one-on-one experience with art while your pets are enjoying their comfortable living environment.

The perfect day for visiting Erarta with babies and toddlers is Monday. On that day guests with baby transport can conveniently exit the museum through a dedicated turnstile on floor 1. On any other day you can leave prams and strollers in a designated ‘parking’ space inside the museum building. We highly encourage guests with little kids to explore the museum with their own baby carriers.