The L.N. Benois Museum on the Vasilyevsky

The museum was created by the descendants of Leonty Nikolaevich Benois, living in Russia and abroad.

In the very center of St. Petersburg, in building 20 on the 3rd line of Vasilyevsky Island, there is a museum-apartment of an outstanding Russian architect, city planner of St. Petersburg, and rector of the Academy of Arts, Leonty Nikolaevich Benois.

There are historical interiors of the study of Leonty Nikolaevich and his wife, a concert hall with a home piano, harmonium, and harp, and a dining room in the family apartment. Genuine furniture, paintings, and furnishings recreate the atmosphere of life of a large toiler and happy father of a large family.

The museum presents a unique family archive of the L. N. Benois family, rare photographs, and works of both Leonty Nikolaevich himself and his descendants, among whom predominate representatives of creative professions: architects, musicians, painters, ceramics artists, and sculptors. There are also exhibits collected from private collections of the Benois family representatives: paintings, prints, photographs, musical scores, and sheet music that have unique historical value. Until 1914, the apartment contained the Madonna with the Flower, better known as the Benois Madonna by Leonardo da Vinci, which is now the jewel of the State Hermitage collection.

The museum is conducting a scientific musicology project to restore the work of a representative of the Benois family, the Venetian composer Katarino Camillo Cavos, who devoted his entire creative life to the Russian opera. The musical program of the museum includes the performance of rare works of the Grand Dukes of the Romanovs authorship, members of the imperial family, and unknown works of great composers.

“Living house and living apartment is exactly what we, the descendants of Leonty Nikolaevich, call this native place for us. Classical music concerts are regularly held in the apartment, performed by young descendants of Leonty Nikolaevich, invited artists and groups. Conferences and seminars of historical societies and gatherings, literary readings, performances, and lectures from famous people are not uncommon. In the lecture hall of the museum, representatives of the Benois family and guest lecturers give lectures on the history of art, painting, music, architecture, and both classical and modern theater.

By prior arrangement, we organize group tours in Russian, French, and main European languages about the life and work of Leonty Nikolaevich and his descendants, talk about the family life of the St. Petersburg creative intelligentsia of the Art Nouveau era, architecture of the northern capital, musicology, painting, and other things. The Benois family friends, those who love and with pleasure come to us as invited guides and lecturers with individual programs, are the creative intelligentsia representatives St. Petersburg, professors and teachers of the Academy of Arts, Mukhinskoye Trade School, Conservatory, and State University, talented artists, architects, and musicians.

We also love when solemn events of our guests take place within the walls of our house. We are pleased to host solo concerts of artists, children’s performances and reporting concerts of music and art schools, lessons and masterclasses, creative evenings, and screenings of documentaries and feature films. During the period of white nights, we make wonderful Benois night excursions, which remain in the memory of our guests for a long time.