Sightseeing on Vasilievsky Island
You can do some great Sightseeing on Vasilievsky Island. Here in St. Petersburg I live on Vasilievsky Island (Васильевский остров). Aside from the occasional issues getting home before the bridges open for the night, it is a pretty amazing place to live. I thought I would highlight a few of the sights on the island for those of you who haven’t had a chance to explore this area of St. Petersburg!
Menshikov Palace (Меншиковский дворец)
Vasilievsky Island was originally planned by Peter the Great to be the heart of St. Petersburg during its early years. That explains why Alexander Menshikov’s palace can be found here — he was the first governor of the city and the closest companion of Peter the Great. This palace, the largest and grandest structure in the city during the early 1700s, was used for formal occasions and served as the center of political and cultural life in St. Petersburg.
Address: 15 Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya (Университетская наб., 15)
Novy Museum (Новый музей)
True to its name, the Novy Museum is one of the newest museums in St. Petersburg. It opened near the Vasilieostrovskaya metro station in 2012 and hosts a collection of modern and nonconformist art from the Soviet era.
Address: 6th Line, 29 (6-я линия В.О., д. 29)
Kunstkamera (Кунсткамера)
This museum is well-known for being the first museum founded in Russia. It’s also known for its eccentric collection of Peter the Great’s scientific curiosities, such as preserved fetuses. The museum also includes exhibits dedicated to astronomy and anthropology.
3 Universitetskaya Naberezhnaya (Университетская наб., 3)
Erarta Museum (Эрарта музей)
Here you can see an incredible collection of modern art. Much of the museum is dedicated to temporary exhibits which change regularly, so this is a great place to visit time and again! My colleague Jessica wrote a great article about the museum which you can read here.
Address: 29th Line, House 2 (29-я линия, 2)
Krasin Icebreaker Museum (Музей Мирового океана ЛЕДОКОЛ «КРАСИН»)
Krasin is an icebreaker ship built in the U.K. in 1917, with a colorful history of polar expeditions and wartime journeys. It was modernized in the 1950s and today it is a floating museum on the Neva which can be visited from the island.
Address: Naberezhnaya Leitenanta Schmidta, 23rd line (наб. Лейтенанта Шмидта)
In between sightseeing, make sure to take some time to walk along the Neva — the view of the Hermitage, Peter & Paul Fortress, and the beautiful palaces along the river is simply amazing. Enjoy your time on the island!
