Top 10 Museums of the world-#1 The Hermitage
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This is my first hub in the series of hubs-Top 10 museums of the world.
Museum #1: The Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Russia
I decided to write this series of hubs about the top 10 best museums in the world because in the current situation with political and economic turmoil and all of the problems that people are facing we all can use something that can heal our souls and minds, something that we all can agree about and appreciate, something that belongs to all of humanity, that was there before us and will be there long after us.
I prepared a list and it is not their ranking in the world, it is my personal opinion. I am going to start with museums in Russia since it is near and dear to my heart .
Top 10 best museums of the world:
- Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia
- The State Tretyakov gallery, Moscow, Russia
- Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Louvre Museum, Paris, France
- Metropolitan museum of Art, New York, USA
- National Gallery, Washington, USA
- British Museum, London, Great Britain
(I will be adding 3 more, I can not make up my mind about the other 3 museums, any suggestions?)
The State Hermitage museum is located in Saint Petersburg in the historical building known as the Winter Palace (the former residence of Russian emperors) .
In 1764, Russian Empress Catherine The Great purchased a collection of Western European paintings, that was the beginning .
Today 250 years later, the Hermitage has a collection of more than 3 million pieces of artwork and artifacts of world culture, including
- Prehistoric art
- Western European art
- Oriental art
- Russian art
- The Treasury Gallery
- The Winter palace of Peter the Great
- And more
The collection of Western European art is one of the finest in the world. It includes a number of masterpieces from world famous artists: Italian, German, French, Dutch etc. Among them 2 paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci :
Madonna and Child (Madonna Litta) Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519
Madonna with a Flower (Benois Madonna) Leonardo da Vinci 1452-1519
Faberge collection
Another popular exhibition is - Faberge collection, more than 150 items of famous firms are on display.
Faberge, Peter Carl (1846-1920), jeweler to the Russian imperial court, creator of the stunning Easter eggs, holiday gifts to Nicolas II and his family.
Peter Faberge was born in Saint Petersburg, the son of the master goldsmith. The French last name derives from his family background, his family left France during the seventeenth century, moving eastward from Germany to the Baltic before settling in Russia.
Peter Faberge was educated in local German language school and latter continued his education in Germany. The combination of his astonishing craftsmanship and cosmopolitanism gave him entry to all European royal houses.
In 1861 Faberge set out on his Grand tour of the continent. He developed a great interest in renaissance and baroque designs and was influenced by the French rococo style.
His mastery of fine detail and his ability to work in a variety of precious metals and jewels, including hard stone carving, contribute to his unique style Faberge.
His clients, mostly from the European aristocracy, knew that Faberge could be trusted not to repeat specific designs they requested.
From his famous establishment in St. Petersburg he published catalogs of his objects d’art and expanded his enterprise to Moscow, drawing the attention of serious art collectors from all over the world.
Today, special exhibitions held around the world continue to attract by the thousands.
Faberge left Russia in 1918 and died in Lausanne, Switzerland 1920.
Of course, this is just a very small part of the things you can see if you are lucky enough to visit the Hermitage, you will also get to enjoy the wonderful city of Saint Petersburg.
When traveling in Russia the following museums are a must-see:
Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography –Saint Petersburg
The Hermitage Museum – Saint Petersburg
The State Tretyakov Gallery - Moscow
If you have been to any museums in Russia, feel free to share your thoughts and experiences…
Links to My other Hubs:
- Top 10 Museums of the world-#2 The State Tretyakov Gallery
This is my second hub in the series of hubs -Top 10 museums of the world. Museum #2 The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia The State Tretyakov Gallery- also known as The National Museum of... - Top 10 Museums of the world-#3 Museum of Antropology and Ethnography
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Really good Hub! I've been to a number of the museums you mention here.
You ask for suggestions for the missing 3. As a child, I wasn't much interested in Science (still am not), but I found London's Science Museum absolutely fascinating, and the same for The Natural History Museum in London.
Well, I would choose those, wouldn't I? I'm from London ... All the best, Camlo
camio, thanks for your comments and suggestions, i never been in London, but i will do some research on line.
Thanks, again.
Wow. thankyou. I have seen faberge eggs in Perth, Western Australia a few year ago. They seem more special when you see them again from a distant perspective.
Interestingly, a travel writers list includes the same ones but in a different order and the Reuters list includes New York, London, the Louvre and other mainly European Museums - but not Russian Museums. The west has probably not discovered many from Asia or other cultures to add them to their list.
Thankyou for great writing.
Salt, Love you comment. It is strange that Reuters list includes only New York,London, Paris, but no Russian Museums.
Russia was a home country for Faberge.
Are the Faberge eggs solid, or do they open for things to be put inside?
I'm crazy about Egypt, so I would nominate the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
WriteAngled, I seen them in Hermitage (I used to live in Russia), they usually open - like a locker, to keep something special- like a baby tooth, or baby hair. Those that i seen belonged to Tsar Nikolay and his family.
Thaks for your suggestion- sounds good.
As for the three remaining I would say the Egyptian Museum in Turin, with the second largest collection in the world, first one obviously at Cairo. And the Galleria degli Uffizi at Florence. And the Vatican's Museums.
You've had a really good idea for the hub. Very interesting.
hypnodude, thanks for your comments, and for your suggestions, I am going to check Egyptian museum in Cairo, sounds very interesting.
I've never been there, but there's a documentary on the museum that made me want to! :D
Hi Karina - I visited the Hermitage in 1988 - behind the Iron Curtain... It was fascinating. I was with a Jewish friend and we were approached by a Jewish guy who wanted to be smuggled out of the USSR. We didn't dare help him as we were being followed everywhere we went - right from our entry at the Finnish border through to out East German exit. The museum was fabulous, even back then.
beautiful merchandise/very informative
cathinfrance what an amazing story!
Wonderful hub. I have only been to two of these, but I would love to see the rest! Thanks for the tour!
Hello great hub. I am married to a Russian man from St. Petersburg and have been to the Hermitage. It is spectacular and was awesome. I have only been there once but we are returning next year. Great job and awesome pictures.
ladyjane, i am glad you enjoyed your visit to the Hermitage, so much. It really is spectacular. And, Thanks for your comments
this was really informative...I enjoyed!! I've got a thing for museum so this is good to know it just might help me choose my next holiday!
Whoosh! There are so many great museums around the world it would be hard to choose. I personally am attached to all the art in Florence and NY but that's purely preference on my part. Thanks for a great hub and creating a terrfic discussion. (p.s. did you mean the Art Institute of Chicago? The only National Gallery I'm aware of is in Washington, although I do know they put together some project together that I think was in Chicago. Just checking, I don't want to miss a museum!)
Hello Sa Toya, happy Holidays and thanks for your comments. If you enjoy visiting museums, visit the Hermitage you will not regret it.
Rope, thanks for you comments and you are right, i ment the National Gallery in Washington, and Art Institute of Chicago, they had few art projects together. I gess, i mixed them up. Thanks again, for your comments and correction.
Nice hub! :) It was also useful!
nice hub, very informative!
thanks dogluver and nadiaazhar, i am glad you liked it.
Beautiful Art and fantastic photographs. God Bless You Dear Heart.
thanks, stars
The Faberge Eggs are amazing! I have always been fascinated by them!
nice information. thanks for share.
nice information. thanks for share.
Thanks for you comment prasetio, I love writing about museums in Russia
Another great hub another great viewing - I admire the research you put into your hubs and enjoy the pictures you have selected-thank you and look forward more of your tours
Karina S, thanks for sharing to mankind a superb collection of museums which housed the world's arts and culture, We may not have the opportunity to pay them a visit but at the least we were afforded the liberty to vicariously experience them through this hub. Laurels for you.
bonny, thanks for your comment, you are very kind.
Hello Karina App nay kis karinay say sub kuch biyan kiya hay and thanks for your comments i am your flowwer
Russia has had and continues to have a colorful history in just about everything including art. Nice tour.
Daddy Paul 2 years ago
Nice pics.