Kunstkammer (Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography) in Saint Petersburg
This is the first museum in Russia that was founded by Peter the Great; he organized it in 1714.
Initially, it was a "cabinet of curiosities" (rarities), but then the museum eventually collected a huge amount of ethnographic and anthropological materials. Peter the Great, as an educated ruler, showed particular interest in the design of the human body, and anatomy in general. The Kunstkamera is famous for its "anatomical hall", where various living organisms that represent deviations from the normal path of development have been gathered together. However, we consider it important to issue a warning that the exhibits in formaldehyde in this part of the museum may have an unpleasant impact on sensitive visitors.
Kunstkammer is located in a specially built building that is also more than 300 years old.
This museum is very popular with Russians, and it is relatively rare to encouter foreign visitors, who usually head toward the more famous and thematically distinctive museums in St. Petersburg. In this sense, the Kunstkamera is not the most "touristy" museum in the city. This, however, does not in any way reduce the value and uniqueness of the Kunstkamera as an anthropological museum.