Thursday, December 12 

Russian Academic Painting of the 18th-19th Centuries

  • Until May 31, 10 am - 6 pm daily, except for Tue
  • Russian Museum
  • 450-1,000 rubles (350-500 rubles for students) – tickets here

The exhibition sheds light on the gems of Russian academic art that flourished around the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Among the display’s highlights are Testing the Strength of Jan Usmar by Grigory Ugryumov, Christ's Appearance to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection by Alexander Ivanov, and a plethora of other artworks by famed Russian masters.

Friday, December 13

Classical music concert

Calling all fans of live music! Experience timeless classical music compositions – from Mikhail Glinka's Waltz Fantasy to Johann Strauss II's Tales from the Vienna Woods Waltz – as they are brought to life by a symphony orchestra at the stage of St. Petersburg Philharmonia.

Saturday, December 14

Dialogues about art

This weekend, connoisseurs of literature, movies, art, and everything in between will reunite to watch a scene from Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise (1995), a beautifully filmed, moving, dialogue-driven movie, and dip into chance encounters and how the road affects the connections we build with others.

Sunday, December 15

Intelligent Flea Market 

Those who haven’t received the letter from Hogwarts just yet are welcome to the New Year’s market inspired by the wonderful world of Harry Potter. On the list there are wizardry craft workshops, like painting figurines of your beloved characters or creating your own perfume at potions classes, as well as an ultimate Diagon Alley shopping experience.

Monday, December 16

Exhibition: Flying over the World

  • Until January 26, 11 am - 10 pm daily
  • ArtMuza
  • Free

These aren’t simply eye-appealing landscapes – these are Evgeniya Varentsova’s artistic reflections on her homeland and travels around the world. The artist is an ardent traveler who appreciates discovering new countries and unknown corners of the world.

Tuesday, December 17

Landscape of the Soul. Caspar David Friedrich and Russia

  • Until April 13, 11 am - 6 pm (Wed, Thu, Sun), 11 am - 8 pm (Tue, Fri, Sat)
  • Hermitage Museum
  • 500 rubles (free for students) – tickets here

For the artist’s 250th anniversary of birth, the Hermitage Museum presents its first major exhibition of works by Caspar David Friedrich, a notable landscape painter of the 19th century and a key figure in the Romanticism movement. On display are over 200 exhibits – paintings, graphics, applied arts, archive documents, and memorabilia – all reflecting the artist’s connection to Russia and Russian culture.

Wednesday, December 18

The Nutcracker on the big screen

It’s that time of the year again: dancing, coming-to-life toys, and mice battles… If you, too, wish to enjoy the most classical, the most festive story of The Nutcracker (at least on a screen) hurry up and get yourself a ticket to a screening of Rudolf Nureyev's production at Rodina cinema.