The Hermitage Tour with an Art Historian Guide
Explore the Hermitage Museum on our signature Hermitage Tour with an Art Historian Guide, including skip-the-line tickets to shorten the wait! We’ll slip around the crowds as we visit the Hermitage masterpieces, including the Benois Madonna by Leonardo Da Vinci. Comprehensive and engaging, the Hermitage tour is designed to help us make sense of the museum’s collection and understand its layered tapestry of art and history.
One of the largest and oldest museums in the world with the collection of nearly 3 million items, including the world famous collection of paintings (from 13th to 19th centuries ) located inside the six historic buildings, one of them – the Winter Palace, the former winter residence of the Royal family.
If it is your first time in St. Petersburg and you do not want to get lost and be confused by millions of exhibits while visiting the world-famous art collections, we recommend this 2,5 - 3 hour introductory tour of the Hermitage during which you will catch all the collection highlights.
Your private art historian guide will take you around all buildings of the museum and focus on the key works in each room or department. You can also order one of our tailor-made guided excursions with an art history expert and see what you particularly need in the museum.
If you are an art fan and love local culture we’d also recommend:
max: 24
| Group size | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12+ | Max group size |
| Private tour USD/person |
90 | 80 | 70 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 48 | 45 | 42 | 40 | 35 | Contact us | Any |
| Group size | Private tour USD/person |
| 2 | 90 |
| 3 | 80 |
| 4 | 70 |
| 5 | 60 |
| 6 | 55 |
| 7 | 50 |
| 8 | 48 |
| 9 | 45 |
| 10 | 42 |
| 11 | 40 |
| 12 | 35 |
| 12+ | Contact us |
| Max group size | Any |
- Children from 7 to 17 years and students (with ISIC only): USD 10 discount
- private expert guide,
This is a sample tour.
If you are interested in a more active program we can recommend you the following options:
*Early admission (USD 10 p/p) General Staff (Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Department) (USD 15 p/p)
Treasure Gallery/Gold Room
If you want to enter the museum before the regular opening time ( 10.30 a.m.) we can book for you the special “early entry” which will provide you with the access to the museum between 9.40 and 10.10 a.m. The exact entrance time is determined solely by the museum!
Please note: We arrange fast track entry to the museum not depending on whether you book early admission or not. The “early entry” does not always mean that you avoid some queuing since lots of big tour groups book it. It simply gives some extra time inside the museum rooms when they are less packed.
The special Treasure Gallery excursion ( lasts 40 – 60 min.) can be booked additionally to the Hermitage tour (for extra fee, see below).
The main idea of this collection is to show the jewelry artifacts from the earliest works of goldsmiths (3-4th millennium B.C.) to the 20th c. court jewelers priceless pieces.
The Treasure gallery contains ancient Scythian and Greek gold masterpieces from the burial mounds, the most interesting relics of Early Russian and West European art from the 12th to the 16th centuries, rare examples of works of jewelry produced by European craftsmen in the 16th and 17th centuries used as diplomatic gifts or for the decoration of palace state rooms, watches and bracelets, fans and rings, pendants and brooches, hair ornaments and necessaries which were made by German, Swiss and French goldsmiths for Russian imperial court and aristocracy, 20th c.trends including Carl Faberge workshop.
Please note: the booking of the Treasure Gallery excursion must be confirmed not later than the 15th of the month prior to the month of your visit. Photo inside is not permitted!
| Group size | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12+ | Max group size |
| Private tour USD/person |
90 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 35 | 30 | 28 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 20 | Contact us | 12 people |
please let us know on the TOUR REQUEST and we will tailor it accordingly.
Aubrey E.Laboda
This was our second time in SPB and at the Hermitage within a year. We booked Maria, the same guide as last time.
Maria is a gem! Since then I have recommended her tour guiding at the Hermitage to two other dear friends of mine. One of them has already taken place in July and the response was similar to mine. Her knowledge is impressive, her language skills impeccable and her social interface delightful. All other organizational aspects such as transport and entry were smooth and efficient. I have nothing but words of praise. I know I will visit yet again and I certainly hope to see her again.
Nurit B
