In 2010, the first museum of contemporary art, the Erarta Museum, opened in St. Petersburg. Its name comes from the combination of the words "era" (time) and "arta" (art). The main part of the collection features works by Russian and Soviet artists created after World War II. The collection includes about 3000 exhibits, including paintings, sculptures, graphics, objects, and installations. The museum is one of the most visited in the city.

Building of the Museum

The Erarta Museum is located in a five-story building built in the 1950s in the Stalinist Empire style. Previously, it housed the All-Union Research Institute of Synthetic Rubber named after S. V. Lebedev. Recently, the building changed hands, allowing the museum to open. The entrance is adorned with a Doric portico and sculptures of Era and Arta, created specifically for the museum. Part of the interior is designed in a wall-art style.

The museum has five floors, where the main collection, temporary exhibitions, a concert-theater hall, interactive areas, a café, a restaurant, and shops are located.

Permanent Collection

The permanent collection occupies the left wing on all five floors. Here, visitors can explore various directions of contemporary painting through overview and thematic tours. There are also exhibitions of animated paintings, experimental works made from non-art materials, installations, video art, and a rare form of art, science art.

Science art is a direction where artistic images are created using technology and scientific achievements. Objects from this direction can be found in leading museums around the world.

The museum's collection includes about 3000 works by domestic artists, primarily from St. Petersburg, but also from other regions of Russia. The works cover a wide range of styles, from traditional realism to abstraction and primitivism. The artists represent different eras, from the post-war decades to the present day. The number of authors exceeds 300.

The museum provides online access to the collection through the Google Art Project, making art accessible to everyone.

Unique Projects

The Erarta Museum is unique for St. Petersburg and the entire country, as it not only exhibits exhibitions but also creates its own creative projects. Among them are U-Space, a theater without actors, isoanimation, isoliterature, the animated series "Black Square," SoTy, and narrated stories of paintings.

U-Space is an interactive space consisting of seven installations, where the viewer enters another reality. The theater without actors is a multimedia performance based on the plots of paintings. Isoanimation allows one to see the development of a painting over time through short animated films. Isoliterature is an interactive writing of a book by visitors creating new interpretations of works. The animated series "Black Square" tells about the adventures of the main object of Kazimir Malevich's painting. SoTy is a space for self-expression where anyone can create their own art objects. Narrated stories of paintings are accompanied by audio tracks, creating the atmosphere of the work.

"Valley of Colors," a book for the whole family written by Marina Varvarina, tells about the seven colors of the rainbow. In the Erarta restaurant, you can try cupcakes inspired by this book.

"Russia in Erarta"

This project develops contemporary art and shapes its space across Russia. It allows for traveling exhibitions of Erarta and regional art exhibitions in St. Petersburg. The project has also reached an international level, introducing CIS countries to Russian art.

Temporary Exhibitions

The Erarta Museum organizes more than 40 temporary exhibitions annually, showcasing various forms of contemporary art. Recently, the exhibition "Lamborghini: Legend of Design" was held, expanding the museum's space.

The museum pays attention to both Russian and international projects, presenting works from around the world. Some exhibitions are created specifically for Erarta, such as installations by Matthew Brandt.

Infrastructure

The Erarta Museum cares about visitor comfort, offering convenient navigation and modern interiors. In the Erarta restaurant, you can enjoy exquisite cuisine, while the café offers light snacks. In the Erarta Home store, you can purchase souvenirs, books, and art catalogs.