On December 7, 2014, the Russian State Hermitage Museum, one of the most important museums in the world, celebrates its 250th anniversary.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankThe Russian State Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764, when Russian Empress Catherine the Great purchased an art collection containing 225 paintings from Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, a Prussian merchant.
Above: The Jordan Staircase at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: The Jordan Staircase at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/93/1015579335_0:0:3030:2048_600x0_80_0_1_eb2029c50619f6036d2da02d6dbc5d42.jpg)
The Russian State Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764, when Russian Empress Catherine the Great purchased an art collection containing 225 paintings from Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, a Prussian merchant.
Above: The Jordan Staircase at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: The Jordan Staircase at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankThe museum has been open to the public since 1852.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/79/1015577942_0:0:3048:2048_600x0_80_0_1_19bbdb4d7466a31714900ef451c34d0e.jpg)
The museum has been open to the public since 1852.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankThe State Hermitage collections have over three million items.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/84/1015578419_0:0:3210:2048_600x0_80_0_1_1c2e95cb50d25cbb46b86f76ace72fc8.jpg)
The State Hermitage collections have over three million items.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankOnly a small part of the museum's collections is on permanent display.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/81/1015578102_0:0:2752:2048_600x0_80_0_1_e457278336d62bd74f757b255ddd2bfa.jpg)
Only a small part of the museum's collections is on permanent display.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankOriginally, the museum collections were stored in a single building, the Small Hermitage. Today, the museum complex consists of a number of buildings along the Palace Embankment and its surroundings.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/82/1015578261_0:0:2930:2047_600x0_80_0_1_94595ccd788d77db41a682f7e93f3fd7.jpg)
Originally, the museum collections were stored in a single building, the Small Hermitage. Today, the museum complex consists of a number of buildings along the Palace Embankment and its surroundings.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankFive buildings which form the main hub of the museum - the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage and Hermitage Theater - are open to the public.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/83/1015578338_0:0:1395:2048_600x0_80_0_1_d8ba5c48265f9ec2d09f50d3d4c3f427.jpg)
Five buildings which form the main hub of the museum - the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage and Hermitage Theater - are open to the public.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankThe Winter Palace lost its status as an official imperial residence in 1904.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/81/1015578182_0:0:3003:2047_600x0_80_0_1_3bf32a81c3d88a2fe971cb22035139d6.jpg)
The Winter Palace lost its status as an official imperial residence in 1904.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankSoon after the beginning of WWI, the Imperial Collection of jewelry, originally kept in the Winter Palace, was moved to Moscow for safekeeping, where it eventually became a part of the 'Diamond Fund'.
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/91/1015579176_0:0:3015:2048_600x0_80_0_1_b741e13a7c8939363a68e29b86a8dcb4.jpg)
Soon after the beginning of WWI, the Imperial Collection of jewelry, originally kept in the Winter Palace, was moved to Moscow for safekeeping, where it eventually became a part of the 'Diamond Fund'.
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankThe Hermitage was declared a state museum following the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/94/1015579490_0:0:2995:2048_600x0_80_0_1_ff143c678430105ceb7c895a84786668.jpg)
The Hermitage was declared a state museum following the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Visitors at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankThe museum's birthday is celebrated on December 7 - the feast day of Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
Above: Raphael Loggia at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Raphael Loggia at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/80/1015578019_0:0:3131:2047_600x0_80_0_1_460ae9b847822a145ee14f56eb86c4a5.jpg)
The museum's birthday is celebrated on December 7 - the feast day of Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
Above: Raphael Loggia at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: Raphael Loggia at the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankDuring WWII, over 2 million items from the State Hermitage collections were evacuated to the Urals. They were returned in October 1945.
Above: Visitors at the St. Petersburg State Hermitage Museum.
Above: Visitors at the St. Petersburg State Hermitage Museum.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/90/1015579097_0:0:3014:2048_600x0_80_0_1_8225b9e18dc851e0aade9bf995163378.jpg)
During WWII, over 2 million items from the State Hermitage collections were evacuated to the Urals. They were returned in October 1945.
Above: Visitors at the St. Petersburg State Hermitage Museum.
Above: Visitors at the St. Petersburg State Hermitage Museum.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankIn recent years, the Hermitage Museum launched a number of branch museums, both at home (in Kazan, Vyborg, Vladivostok) and abroad (in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain).
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/92/1015579255_0:0:3032:2048_600x0_80_0_1_5c6d33c2869cc32b0976c02e9cdb89d2.jpg)
In recent years, the Hermitage Museum launched a number of branch museums, both at home (in Kazan, Vyborg, Vladivostok) and abroad (in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain).
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
Above: A hall of the State Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankN4756, a minor planet in the solar system discovered in 1978, was officially named "Hermitage" in honor of the museum.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/94/1015579413_0:0:2978:2048_600x0_80_0_1_edb076f7a730a2bf0c5ed0b9c0fa9b8e.jpg)
N4756, a minor planet in the solar system discovered in 1978, was officially named "Hermitage" in honor of the museum.
© Sputnik / Alexei Danichev / Go to the mediabankOn December 7, 2014, the Russian State Hermitage Museum celebrates its 250th anniversary. To mark this occasion, the museum will offer free admission to all visitors on December 10.
![State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary State Hermitage Museum Celebrates 250th Anniversary - Sputnik International](https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101557/77/1015577779_0:0:3013:2048_600x0_80_0_1_3cadf93d7ecc440086d59e19eb1abf63.jpg)
On December 7, 2014, the Russian State Hermitage Museum celebrates its 250th anniversary. To mark this occasion, the museum will offer free admission to all visitors on December 10.