The exhibition is dedicated to the last Russian emperor, 155 years since the birth of whom is celebrated in 2023.

The exposition is of a historical and documentary nature. Materials from the collection of the State Historical museum (mainly chronicle photographs) show all stages of the life of the Russian monarch. The Emperor and his family members had warm feelings for the art of light painting: they all had cameras and took pictures of each other and loved ones. Nicholas II was almost always accompanied by professional photographers who recorded almost every day of his reign (the main merit belonged to the atelier “K. E. von Hahn and Co.” and its owner, the court photographer A. K. Yagelsky). The collection of the Historical Museum contains more than 750 photographs reflecting the life of the Russian emperor. A number of photographs originate from palaces in Tsarskoye Selo and Peterhof, some were taken in the private chambers of the royal family, which gives them a memorial status.

The exhibition focuses on two themes: “Nicholas II – the head of the empire” and “Nicholas II – the head of the family.” The first – official – section shows pictures depicting the Emperor during meetings with heads of foreign states (King Edward VII of Great Britain, Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, Presidents of France Felix Faure and Armand Falier); celebrations on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of St. Petersburg and the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812; parades and regimental holidays; consecration of temples and monuments; as well as during the Russian-Japanese War and the First World War. A significant place is devoted to the display of two important dynastic events – the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II (1896) and the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov (1913).

The second – family – section of the exhibition presents photographs related to the personal life of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The central place is given to the royal children – Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Tsarevich Alexei, the only son of the royal couple, whose tragic fate left an imprint on the life of the entire royal family. In the same section, a unique photographic complex shows the stay of Emperor Nicholas II and his family in the Crimea in 1911, 1912 and 1913.

The exhibition also features picturesque portraits of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, painted by G. M. Manizer and A.V. Makovsky; watercolors by A. I. Charlemagne, N. N. Karazin and N. S. Matveev with episodes from the life of the royal family; handwritten drawings of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna; unique historical documents, including autographs of all representatives of the royal family; uniforms of Emperor Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexei.

The emotional dominant of the project is a small hall resembling a basement or crypt, where there are steles with photographic portraits of Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Tsarevich Alexei, Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Tatiana, Grand Duchess Maria and Grand Duchess Anastasia, who were shot in Yekaterinburg on the night of July 16-17, 1918. In the center of the miniature memorial hall there is a unique memorial – a reliquary frame with a portrait and a lock of hair of Tsarevich Alexei.

Ticket payment is possible with a Pushkin card.

Additional information by phone +7 4872 77 31 65.