The museum holds the only complete mounted skeleton of a Steller's sea cow, a species driven to extinction in the 18th century.
The collection features the Berezovka mammoth, a nearly intact carcass recovered from permafrost in 1901.
It is home to the Adélie penguin group specimens collected during the 1820s Bellingshausen Antarctic expedition.
The museum preserves the personal scientific collections of Peter the Great, which formed the nucleus of the Kunstkamera before moving to this institution.
Some specimens on display date back to the 18th century, making them some of the oldest preserved biological samples in Russia.
The Zoological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg houses one of the world's largest natural history collections, containing over 30,000 exhibits. Founded in 1832, it displays preserved animal specimens, rare skeletons, and taxidermy mounts spanning diverse ecosystems. The museum is a major research center for the Russian Academy of Sciences, functioning as an extension of the Zoological Institute. Its interior retains a classic 19th-century academic atmosphere with tall wooden display cabinets. The collection includes extensive entomological, ornithological, and marine biology samples gathered from historical expeditions across the Russian Empire and Arctic regions. Notable exhibits include the mounted remains of extinct species and various whale skeletons suspended from the ceiling.
The main hall under the massive whale skeleton displays.
Visit the less crowded back halls first to see the entomology and bird collections.
Look for the smaller, detailed dioramas tucked into the corners of the main hall for unique historical taxidermy techniques.
Audio guides are often available, which provide necessary context for the older display labels.
Do not mistake the museum for the Kunstkamera building located nearby on the same embankment.
Closed on Tuesdays.
No flash photography is permitted on certain delicate specimens; quiet conversation is expected as it is a research facility.
