The Federal State Budgetary Institution of Higher Education "Saint Petersburg State Academy of Art and Industry named after A. L. Stieglitz", known as Stieglitz Academy, is one of the oldest universities in Russia specializing in training specialists in the field of visual, decorative-applied arts and design. The main building of the academy is located in a structure designed by the first director of this educational institution, architect M. E. Messmacher.

The Central School of Technical Drawing for both sexes was founded in 1876 by the decree of Alexander II with funds donated by banker and industrialist Baron Alexander Ludwigovich Stieglitz. The school included a rich art and industrial museum and a well-equipped library. Stieglitz, being a passionate admirer of art, donated 1,000,000 rubles for the establishment of the school and continued to support it. Until the end of his life, he remained an honorary trustee of the school and bequeathed a significant sum of 7 million rubles to it, which contributed to its development. The educational institution trained artists in decorative-applied arts for industry, as well as drawing and drafting teachers for secondary art and industrial schools. The school became known as Central after the opening of branches in Narva, Saratov, and Yaroslavl in the 1890s. By 1892, it had 200 students and departments were created: general art, decorative painting and carving, majolica, embossing, xylography, porcelain painting, weaving, and printing. Among the teachers were such notable figures as A. D. Kivshenko, M. K. Klodt, A. T. Matveev, V. V. Maté, A. I. von Hogen, N. A. Koshelev, A. A. Rylov. The educational institution was popular among the youth of Latvia seeking education in the field of decorative-applied arts.

From 1953 to 1994, the academy was named after V. I. Mukhina, so it is often referred to in the media as "Mukhina School" or simply "Mukh."