The Imperial Porcelain Factory Museum was established in 1844 by Tsar Nicholas I to mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the St. Petersburg porcelain manufacturer. The museum’s vast collection, which is now part of the State Hermitage Museum, but still located at the Imperial Porcelain Factory, features more than 30,000 porcelain and glass masterpieces, as well as drawings and rare photographs.

Since the last quarter of the 19th century, following the decree of tsar Alexander III, all orders made for the royal family, had to be produced in two samples - one for the royal family and another one for the museum’s collection.The display offers a glimpse into the tastes of the Russian emperors: for example, Alexander I commissioned large ceremonial vases and service ensembles, while Nicholas I ordered fancy interior objects. Other highlights include porcelain Easter eggs adored by Nicholas II, porcelain created by Kazimir Malevich and Nikolai Suetin and examples of the early Soviet-era propaganda porcelain.