Free things to do in Saint Petersburg

23 places in Saint Petersburg with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

SeeCastleCenter
State Hermitage Museum
Государственный Эрмита́ж, gosudarstvenny ermitazh,Зимний дворец, zimniy dvorets, Winter Palace
A massive palace-museum showing the highlights of a collection of over 3,000,000 pieces of international art, primarily western European art. Hosted in the Winter Palace, the former main residence of the Russian tsars. The Hermitage is truly one of the world's great museums, with an imposing setting displaying priceless works by Rembrandt, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rubens and more, including many pieces that were looted from Central and Eastern Europe by the Red Army during World War II. Getting a tour guide is recommended: the additional information they impart can be well worth the price, and they can readily take you directly to the items you want to see. Large bags aren't allowed in the museum, and a massive cloakroom downstairs (no charge, as usual in Russia) exists to assist with jackets and bags. Drinks or liquids are not allowed in the museum after an incident in 1985 when a protester vandalized Danaë, a Rembrandt painting, with sulfuric acid. In some rooms and in all temporary exhibits, photography is prohibited. However, at other times the museum can limit the admission rate because of the numbers already in the museum. In this case having purchased your tickets in advance won't save you as much time. There are also ticket machines just before you get to the cash desk which have much shorter lines. The museum has a cafe and large shop near the entrance, and numerous small shops throughout the galleries. Audio guides are available in English, and most signs in the gallery are in English and Russian.
Tue-Sun 10:30–18:00 (Wed till 21:00)Tickets can be purchased online with accepted forms of payment. Scan the QR code at the stated turnstile for entry. Students of all nationalities get in for free with student photo ID. Entry fee is RUB 500 to RUB 700, depending on the museum; free for students of all nationalities with student photo ID; free on the first Thursday of the month. Guide books: RUB 300 · Wi-Fi · Wheelchair accessible
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Summer Garden
Летний сад / Letny sad
The Summer Garden (Russian: Летний сад, romanized: Letny sad) is a historic public garden that occupies an eponymous island between the Neva, Fontanka, Moika, and the Swan Canal in downtown Saint Petersburg, Russia and shares its name with the adjacent Summer Palace of Peter the Great. Its inception dates back to the early 18th century when Russia took these lands from Sweden in the Great Northern War. Being a monument of landscape architecture featuring original and copied sculptures of classical mythology characters, a former royal palace and a monument to the fable author Ivan Krylov, the garden is now a branch of the Saint Petersburg-based national art treasury Russian Museum.
Closed · opens 10 am WednesdayFree · Built 1704
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Our-Lady-of-Kazan Cathedral
Kazansky Sobor, Казанский собор, Каза́нский кафедра́льный собо́р, Собор Казанской иконы Божией Матери
One of the largest cathedrals in St. Petersburg. Impressive neoclassical exterior, richly decorated interior. The temple was built by Andrew Voronikhin in the years 1801-1811 and is the best of his creations. Paul I has set the task of the architect to build a cathedral, like the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. This is what the prototype he owes his great colonnade facing the Nevsky As planned Voronikhin same Colonnade was to be on the other side, but it was never implemented. By fate just built in 1811, the cathedral became a monument of Russian victories over Napoleonic France in the Patriotic War of 1812. Includes the tomb of Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, hero of the war of 1812. And in 1837, statues of Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly, by Boris Orlovsky, were installed on the square in front of the temple. It is also interesting to note that on the north side of the cathedral (leaving on Nevsky) there is a bronze copy of the "Gate of Paradise" by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the Florentine Baptistery. A copy was made by caster Basil Ekimov. In 1930 the cathedral was closed, and in 1932 a unique museum of the history of religion and atheism was set up here. Now the museum moved into the building on Post Office Street, and once again this is a cathedral church.
Mon-Fri masses 10:00, 18:00, Sun 07:00, 10:00, 18:00. Kazan Cathedral library Mon-Sat 11:00-16:00Free entry
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Field of Mars
Мемориальный парк Ма́рсово по́лe, Marsovo Polye
Beautiful Baroque garden with several military monuments, bordering the Field of Mars to the north are the beautiful and historic Marble Palace (Mramorny Dvorets), Suvorova Square and Betskoi’s, Ficquelmont and Saltykov’s houses. To the west are the Barracks of the Pavlovsky Regiment. The Moyka River forms the boundary to the south.
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
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Tauride Garden
Таврический сад, парк культуры и отдыха имени Первой пятилетки, Городской детский парк
This was laid out in 1783-1789 on the estate of the Palace from which it took its name. The Tauride Garden was landscaped in English Romantic style, with landscape, ponds and canals designed to imitate nature. Trees and shrubs were brought in especially from England. In 1866 the Tauride Garden was opened to the public, and has remained a favorite spot with city dwellers for walks ever since.
Open now · closes midnight tomorrowFree · Built 1783
SeePublic artVasilievsky Island
Authentic Ancient Egyptian Sphinxes
Сфинксы из Фив
You wouldn't expect it, but these two granite sphinxes are three thousand years older than the city! They date from the 14th century BC and were excavated in 1820 in the temple of Amenhotep III near Thebes in Egypt. Upon seeing them, the Russian writer and diplomat Muravyev wrote to the Tsar, and convinced him to purchase the statues for display in Petersburg. They were installed in 1834. Oddly enough, sphinxes seem to be popular in the city - there are another six made by Russian sculptors lurking about.
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
SeePetrograd Side
Troitsky Bridge
Троицкий мост
The third permanent bridge across the Neva and the first connecting this borough with the opposite bank. It opened in 1903. One of the most beautiful bridges in the city, it is a particularly spectacular sight during the white nights when it is drawn up to allow ships to pass.
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
SeeArt galleryVasilievsky Island
Museum of contemporary art Artmuza
Музей современного искусства Артмуза
Museum of contemporary art and the largest creative cluster in St. Petersburg. In 2013, the premises of the former musical instruments factory "Muzdetal" turned into an association of creative people in the field of painting, sculpture, design and interior, transforming the industrial building into a cultural place for creativity and recreation.
Closed · opens 11 am tomorrowFree
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Monument of "Lenin on the armored car"
Памятник «Ленин на броневике»
This is one of the key symbols of the Soviet era. In April 1917, when Lenin came back to Russia, spoke in an armored car for workers and presented their own vision of a revolutionary situation, which later entered in the history and the official called "April Theses".
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
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Locomotive H-293
Паровоз Н-293
This was on which Lenin repeatedly returned from exile in Finland.
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
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Monument of Orbeli L.A.
Памятник-бюст Орбели Л.А.
1969
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
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Alexander Matrosov Monument
Памятник Александру Матросову
He is awarded with title 'Hero of the Soviet Union'
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
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Monument of The first kilometer post on the Road of Life
Первый мемориальный километровый столб на Дороге Жизни
Lenin Square ( площадь Ленина)
Open now · open 24 hoursFree
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A. Sobchak Museum of Formation of Democracy in Modern Russia
Экспозиция представляет собой историю демократических преобразований в стране и городе.
Closed · opens 11 am tomorrowFree entry
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Центральный научно-исследовательский геологоразведочный музей имени академика Ф. Н. Чернышева
Средний проспект В.О. 74
Closed · opens 10 am tomorrowFree entry
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Свиное рыло
набережная Реки Фонтанки 5
Closed · opens 5 pm WednesdayFree entry
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Краски жизни
Большой проспект П.С. 6-8
Closed · opens noon tomorrowFree entry
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Музей истории и техники ОАО «Кировский завод»
проспект Стачек 72
Closed · opens 10 am tomorrowFree entry
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Музей истории профессионального образования
Синопская набережная 64
Free entry
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Summer Garden History Museum
Closed · opens 10 am tomorrowFree entry
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Матисс Клуб
Free entry
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Музей спортивной славы СПбГУПТД
Closed · opens 11 am tomorrowFree entry
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Остров роз
Free entry

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Saint Petersburg (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps. Some descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).