General Information

The historical memorial museum "Smolny" is located in one of the most famous buildings of our country. It history dates back to the Peter the Great's time and is related to the most important period of Russia and St-Petersburg's development.

The building of Smolny created in 1806-1808 by the Italian architect Kvarengi's project is a valuable architectural monument and is a part of the most beautiful architectual complex of our city.

It was built for Smolny Institute for noble girls and it was one of the high-prestige schools for more than 100 years. After the Revolution in 1917 it became the heart of exciting political life in Petrograd and Russia.

On the 4th of August 1917 the Temporary Government made a decision to locate Ispolkom Petrogradskogo Soveta in its room. Since the autumn of 1917, when the Military Revolutionary Committee settled there, Smolny became the staff of the Great October Social Revolution.

After the October Revolution Smolny became the residence of the first Soviet Government, which worked in this building till the 10th of March, 1918, while the capital was moved to Moscow.

During the Great Patriotic War the Smolny was the heart of the sieged Leningrad. There were the headquarters of the city defence and the War Council of Leningrad Front.

Now The City Government and Administration works there and it means that this building is still important in the city's life.

As for our museum the visitors can feel the richest history of the Smolny as an architectural and historical monument of our Motherland.

All excursions start in the State Room of the Smolny. The famous room by the same architect's project is one of the brilliant interiors of Russian Classicism.

The Ball Room of Smolny, that served as a room for the most solemn acts and ceremonies, in October of 1917 became the residence of the 2nd Soviet Councils Session.

The exhibition "The history of the woman education in Russia. Smolny Institute for grand girls" is devoted to the history and development of the first European standard state school for girls in Russia.

You can see the interesting documents and exhibits, certificates, medals and signs of the former students, lots of indoor photos, clothes made by the girls, books from Smolny library, curriculums, public examination schedules.

There are the restored musical room and the room of the Class Teacher, which brightly demonstrates you the life of the school.

The Memorial Lenin's Complex in the Smolny includes first Lenin's study and the living-room where Lenin lived 4 months together with Krupskaya (from the 10th of November, 1917 till the 10th of March, 1918).

The Memorial Lenin's Museum in the Smolny was opened on the 5th of November, 1927. It is one of the oldest Lenin's museum.

Visiting these rooms the visitors can watch 80-years old exhibits and look back to 1917, the most cruel and dramatic year in Russian history.

The memorial complex is completed with the documental exhibits which can demonstrates Lenin's activity as well as the activities of Soviet Government in historical contest.

There are Sovnarkom's documents and Lenin's assignments, unique documents about the Brest Peace Contract signing.

The exhibition "The Smolny. Days of the Blockade" contains the specific documents. The numbers of them are shown for the first time. They present Smolny in wartime years.

For the first time the visitors can get the answer about the buildings that were located under ground. There you can see personal things used by the Smolny staff: a hand lamp, a stethoscope and a plate for scrim-spinning, a telephone from Zhdanov's waiting room.

In the exhibition hall of the Smolny are organised documental and art exhibitions showing the Smolny and other large museums' funds. A set of art exhibitions "Petersburg and Peters burgers" with pictures of modern painters always functions in the museum.