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Photography

The Gatchina Palace’s original holdings included a fascinating photographic collection. The collection was begun in the 19th century, at the dawn of photography, when the palace’s owners - the imperial family members - decorated their private rooms with hundreds of photographs, which documented events in the life of tsar’s family - official receptions, travels about Russia, visits from members of European royal houses, and nature outings.
Most of the photographic material was lost during World War II. Fortunately, the negatives of the pre-war interiors and exhibits survived, which provided the necessary documentation needed to plan and carry out the restoration Photographs of all the rooms in the ruined palace were taken following the war. As time went on, the park and its structures were the first to be restored, followed then by the restoration of the palace. Hundreds of meters of photographic film, now in the museum’s collection, serves as a record of these past events. Today, the collection numbers around 20,000 items, including negatives, some original positive plates, postcards and transparencies (excluding hundreds of duplicate prints). The museum staff carries out extensive research at various archives and museums to replace the lost photographs and expand the collection.
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  • Inside the ruined Gatchina Palace
  • Cadets from the Higher School of Naval
  • An exhibition on the history of the Gatchina Palace
  • Cleaning the Gatchina park
  • Taking measurements in the ruined Gatchina Palace
  • Magnet holding an anchor
  • An exhibition of women’s costume
  • A group on a tour in the Chesma Gallery
  • Ruined Connetable Obelisk
  • The Eagle Pavilion at the Gatchina Park
Inside the ruined Gatchina Palace
Cadets from the Higher School of Naval Engineering participate in boating drills on White Lake in the Gatchina park.

1958
An exhibition on the history of the Gatchina Palace on view at the Farm

1953
Cleaning the Gatchina park around the boat landing

1947
Taking measurements in the ruined Gatchina Palace. The Marble Dining Room

Late 1940s.
Magnet holding an anchor. Arsenal Wing of the Gatchina Palace.

Photo by M.A.Velichko, 1940
An exhibition of women’s costume on view in the Arsenal Wing of the Gatchina Palace.

Photo by M.A.Velichko, 1940
A group on a tour in the Chesma Gallery of the Gatchina Palace.

Before 1940
Ruined Connetable Obelisk

Photo by S.I.Kudryavtsev. May, 1881
The Eagle Pavilion at the Gatchina Park

Photo by S.I. Kudryavtsev, 1870-1880s