The main building of the State Russian Museum, Mikhailovsky Palace, was built between 1819 and 1825 by the Neapolitan architect Carlo Rossi as a residence for the Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich Romanov, brother of Tsar Alexander I.
The palace has two distinct but equally impressive facades, while Rossi worked with some of the leading sculptors of the time on the richly decorated interiors. Unfortunately, the only surviving elements are the marvelous main staircase and the magnificent White Room.
The Palace became state property in 1895, and was transformed into the State Russian Museum by Tsar Nicholas II. Many of the rooms inside were altered to house the large collection, the original nucleus of which was an assembly of works collected by Tsar Alexander III.
Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, which nationalized many private works, the collection expanded considerably, and today comprises some 400,000 works, including icons, paintings, drawings and sculptures covering a time span from the tenth century to the present day, organized in chronological order in the 94 rooms.
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