The Museum came into existence in 1928 with the exhibition The Building History of St Isaac’s Cathedral opened in St Isaac’s. On display were drawings, pictures, models, and building related records provided by the Leningrad Institute of Railway Transport Engineers, the Russian Museum, the Academy of Sciences and the Leningrad Central Archive, as well as portraits of architect A. Montferrand and painters K.P. Brullov, F.A. Bruni and P.V. Basin.
On April 12, 1931, St Isaac’s Cathedral opened as the State Antireligious Museum with the display of the world’s largest Foucault pendulum. In 1937, the Cathedral acquired the status of an architectural monument, with a historical and arts focus.
During World War II and the siege of Leningrad St Isaac’s was used to store the exhibits removed from the city’s museums and the suburban palaces of Petrodvorets, Pavlovsk, Pushkin and Gatchina.
In the aftermath of the war, along with preparations for the museum opening, renovation and restoration efforts began in the Cathedral in 1945 that continued up to 1963. The Museum reopened to the public in December 1948.
St Isaac’s Cathedral featured the following displays in the postwar period: St Isaac’s Cathedral as Historic and Architectural Monument, the Building History of St Isaac’s Cathedral, On the Way from the Cathedral to a Museum, and Foucault’s Pendulum.
In January 1963, the Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral became a branch of the State Museum of the History of Leningrad.
In 1968, Georgiy Petrovich Butikov was appointed as its branch director. A year later, given the special artistic value of St Isaac’s Cathedral and the unique nature of the museum, the Culture Ministry of RSFSR established it as an autonomous museum institution. Consequently, two more Leningrad’s cathedrals became part of the Museum: the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (the Church of the Savior on Blood) in 1971 and the Cathedral honoring the venerable Saint Sampson the Hospitable in 1984. Between 1968 and 2002 the Museum’s activities were guided by the concept of historically accurate and research-based restoration of the cathedrals that make up the Museum.
Georgiy Petrovich Butikov, a PhD in Cultural Studies, Professor, the author of over 40 books, including popular and historical albums on St Isaac’s Cathedral and the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (the Church of the Savior on Blood), a holder of the Order of Merit for the Homeland, 4th grade. Director of the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral from 1968 until 2002.
The resumption of worship services was one of the most remarkable events for the Museum. In 1990, His Holiness Patriarch Alexi II of Moscow and All-Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at St Isaac’s Cathedral, the first one conducted in the cathedral since it ceased to function as an active church. A few years later, in 2005 “An Agreement between the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral and St Petersburg Eparchy on joint activities to be held on the Museum complex premises” was signed.
In 2002, Nikolay Viktorovich Nagorsky was appointed the director of the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral.
Nikolay Viktorovich Nagorsky, a PhD in Education, wrote over 30 scholarly publications, including the book the Museum in the Spiritual Life of Society. He was awarded with the Order of Merit and the Russian Orthodox Church Order of the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, a winner of Saint Petersburg Government Awards in the area of literature, arts and architecture, an Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation. Director of the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral 2002-2008.
This period saw new displays, exhibitions and tour projects, church music concerts were arranged in the cathedrals, public and cultural events and scholarly forums held. Under the direction of N.V. Nagorsky the museum’s infrastructure was expanded, new information technologies introduced, the museum official web site launched, the exterior lighting project for the Church of the Resurrection and the interior lighting project for St Isaac’s implemented, and new publishing projects realized, including the publication of multimedia albums. Of particular importance in the museum’s public education efforts is the project From Museum to School, developed in collaboration with the Research Institute of General Education at the Herzen Pedagogical University and with the involvement of teaching staff of some St Petersburg schools and lyceums.
In 2004, the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral expanded to include the Concert and Exhibition Hall Smolny Cathedral. As a result of its modernization and after completed renovation and restoration, it emerged as a-state-of-the art concert and exhibition hall that employs multimedia technologies. It has become the venue for the best Russian choirs, symphony orchestras, concerts of chamber, violin, piano and cello music, as well as scientific conferences and cultural events.
In 2008 Nikolay Vitalievich Burov became director of the State Museum the St Isaac’s Cathedral. Under his direction, advanced technologies and best practices were introduced in the Museum’s operations, and innovative ways of delivering educational activities developed that enable the Museum to create a coherent education system for young people.
Nikolay Vitalievich Burov holds a doctoral degree in business administration in the area of cultural management from the International Academy of Fundamental Studies. He is awarded with the Order of Honor, orders and medals of the Russian Federation, a badge of distinction “For Merit for St Petersburg”, Russian Orthodox Church awards - the Order of St. Apostolic Prince Vladimir, 3 degree, and the Silver medal of Holy Apostle Peter. N.V. Burov is People’s artist of the Russian Federation; he has served as director of the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral since 2008.
In the first decade of the 21st century the Museum celebrates the following anniversaries: in 2007 – the hundredth anniversary to mark the completed construction and the dedication of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (the Savior on Blood), in 2008 – the 150th anniversary to mark the completed construction and dedication of St Isaac’s Cathedral, in 2009 - the 300th anniversary to celebrate the founding of St Sampson`s Cathedral, in 2010 – the 175th anniversary to mark the opening and dedication of Smolny Cathedral. For each of the jubilee celebrations the Museum prepares special events, exhibitions, and scientific conferences, publishes multimedia albums and books, and undertakes projects aimed to restore the cathedrals’ interiors based on their original appearances.
Today the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral is a well-established all-Russia centre of culture, a multi-purpose museum, with a thoroughly modern feel.
