The Russian Museum

St. Michael's (Engineers') Castle area - 21 735 sq. m.
Building volume - 214 022 cube m.

The ensemble of the Michael's Castle occupies part of the expansive territory of the Third Summer Garden built during the time of Peter the Great. The Summer Palace was erected on the site by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli between 1741 and 1745 for the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. In 1796, after Paul's accesion to the throne, it was dismantled and construction of a new residence for the Emperor began in its place.

This only Emperor's palace in the State Russian Museum complex was built for the Emperor Paul I by the architect Vincenzo Brenna in 1797 - 1801. It was named in honor of Archangel Michael who was protector of the house of Romanov.

On February 1 1801 the Emperor transferred from the Winter palace to his new residence. Shortly afterwards, on the night of March 11 and 12 of that same year, Paul was murdered in his bedroom, the victim of a palace coup. His family subsequently left the castle walls forever.

In 1822, on the initiative of the Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich, the castle was presented to the Department of Royal Engineers, becoming home to the Central College of Engineering. A year later, by decree of Emperor Alexander I, the castle was renamed the Engineers' castle.

Conception of the St. Michael's (Engineers') castle museification
"History of Russian Culture of the 18th - 20th centuries"

In the common context of the Russian Museum complex structure the Michael's (Engineers') castle is supposed to be the Museum of Russian art culture of the 18th - 20th centuries that consists of several thematic blocks.

One of the most important museum sections "The Michael's (Engineers') castle, its history and masters" is placed in its north-western part, it will be founded on the base of its master's biography materials: the Emperor Paul I, who was one of the bulding project authors, his family members and retinues. Leading place will be given to the Michael's Castle ensemble model that will give possibility to imagine its original look. In the exposition will be included the castle decoration objects and works of art that nowadays are in the Russian Museum collection. Audience interest will be without any doubt aroused by the expostion that tells of the palace coup on March 11 1801 and the castle history in the 19th centruy that is connected with the activity of the largest military school in Russia - the Nicholas Engineering Institute, its pedagogues and students.

The Museum's central section should be an open gallery of Russian gala portrait that has no analogies in any other museum of the country. The exposition of this kind will allow a visitor to get acquainted with Russian portrait masterpieces in artistic and historical context that are stored in the museum funds, among them are works by F. S. Rokotov, D. G. Levitsky, V. L. Borovikovsky, O. A. Kiprensky and other prominent masters.

Центральным разделом музея должна стать уже открытая Галерея русского парадного портрета, не имеющая аналогов ни в одном музее страны. Подобная экспозиция даст возможность познакомить зрителя в художественном и в историческом контексте с шедеврами русской портретной живописи, хранящимися в фондах музея, среди которых произведения Ф.С.Рокотова, Д.Г.Левицкого, В.Л.Боровиковского, О.А.Кипренского и других выдающихся мастеров.

The portrait gallery will be built both according to chronological principle and "thematic"blocks idea that will give a visitor possibility to see various portrait genres - children, woman's portrait, self-portrait, portrait miniature etc. Considerable place in the exposition will be occupied by sculptural portrait genre that introduces to a visitor world of portrait images that were created by Russian sculptors for the last two centuries.

The next large section of the museum will be an exposition called "Russian sculpture of the 18th - 20th centuries" in the south-eastern part of the castle that will allow the museum to show for the first time the largest collection in the country that includes different in style, time and image interpretation works of national plastic art. Sculpture will not only obtain own space but will be also a constituent part of the complex expositions of gala halls - the Throne Room, Georgy Hall, Arabesque Gallery etc. built on the architecture, fine art and decorative and applied art synthesis principle. The Resurrection Hall ensemble that once consisted of six historical paintings painted on Paul I commission would include two of them by G. I. Ugriumov from the Russian Museum collection and analogous canvases of academic school. The castle big galleries will be very convenient for placing "Russian Tapestries of the 18th - 19th centuries" exposition from the State Russian Museum fund.

The castle's enormous area will allow to present not only masterpieces by prominent Russian sculptors but also works of the "second row"that are not less important in view of studying national art. They will take place in the up-to-date equipped open storages where visitors will see how full and rich the museum funds are and will have a chance to obtain interesting information on history of objects with the use of computer data base. Creation of sculptures' storage will demand special raising and transport mechanisms including powerful external elevators and internal lifters.

For the first time in this section will be organized the exposition "The Past of Russia in numismatic monuments" where will be demonstrated the unique collection of home numismatics as well as orders. medals and signs of Russian army.

As a separate block will be organized the exposition called "Monuments of Russian Church Culture in the 18th - 20th Centuries" that will be placed in the palace Emperors' church of St. Archangel Michael with the special entrance from the Sadovaya street side and in the north-western part of the yard where the fatal events of March 11 1801 took place. Remained on the Emperor Paul I bedchamber the St. Apostles Peter and Paul Church built in 1857 on the project of architect K. A. Ukhtomsky could be the fundamental part of this exposition and will allow to show church art works directly in cult interior.

In the Michael's (Engineers') castle complex will be included the Graphic art center. Short-term exhibitions (with an allowance for specifics of exhibiting graphic material) will be arranged in the Russian drawing gallery and with the maximum fullness will introduce to a visitor the most numerous fund of the museum that numbers 176 542 exhibits. In this section composition will be the Engraving vabinet where will be mounted appropriate equipment for demonstrating production process of different types of printing graphic art.

In the Michael's (Engineers') castle will function technically equipped Lecture Hall and the Russian Museum scientific library with a conference hall. In the building will be moved (in the third floor rooms) the funds of sculpure, numismatics, engraving, drawing and the library that will be equipped with the net of information service for visitors with taken into account all the achievements of world museum practice. We plan to create the museum shop, restaurants and cafe. Very suitable planning will allow putting into service the mentioned above expositions gradually and after final completing of the monument restoration organizing some entrances for visitors from different sides of the building that will lead to the expositions of various profiles. The main museum entrance will be the main staircase of the northern facade from the Summer Garden side with the parade vestibule, information block, excursion bureau and cloakromms' net.

Part of this united architectural complex are two Corps de Guards pavilions, one of them should be the Center for museum education and children art, that will include lecture and concert complex equipped for children with studios, classes and children works'funds. The second pavilion is planned to be turned to computer complex called "Virtual world of the Russian Museum"that will give net of information service on all the museum territory. There will be also placed TV and "Kvadrat" cinema studio.The unique building of the Michael's (Engineers') castle is supposed to be recreated as the grandious urban ensemble with the system of hydrotechnical works, artificial channels, drawbridges and underground passage that will give the castle look of impregnable knight's castle as it was planned by its owner - the Emperor Paul I. The interiors are planned to be restored in the look maximum close to the original.

For the period from 1991 to 1998:
There were restored enfilades from 54 parade halls with the total area 1 702 sq. m., Archangel Michael's Church and church granite porch costing - $ 7 800 000

To 2003:
Reconstruction and restoration of the parade halls, roof replacement and repairs of the heating system, reconstruction of the spire including copper cover and gilding, restoration of the facades, recreation of fortification historical complex.
Cost of the work - $ 17 900 000

To 2008:
Reconstruction of the courtyard internal part, fundaments' hydroisolation (internal and external), completing parade halls' restoration as well as restoration and equipping the museum library, restoration and reconstruction of the Engravings and Drawings funds including restoration workshop and archives, reconstruction and equipping of the Frames' fund, completing reconstruction of the heating system, reconstruction and restoration of the Corps de Guards buildings.
Cost of the works - $ 28 000 000

Total cost of the works to 2008 - $ 45 900 000