Museum of Fine Arts of Karelia

The Museum of Fine Arts of the Karelian Republic is located in the historic center of Petrozavodsk, on the site of the former Cathedral Square, in one of the old stone buildings. Over the years, this structure has housed various institutions, including a folk school, the Olonets Gymnasium for Boys, the Public Library, the Palace of Pioneers, and the School of Culture.

Among the alumni of the Olonets Gymnasium were the artist Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov and the linguist Filipp Fyodorovich Fortunatov.

The history of this building is closely linked to the history of the city. Inhabitants of Petrozavodsk referred to it as “The House on the Square”.

The Karelian Museum of Fine Arts was opened in this building in 1960.

In 2020, the museum commemorated its 60th anniversary, although its collections date back much further. The history of their formation is closely intertwined with the history of the city and the activities of successive generations of collectors, scholars, and museum professionals. The first steps toward establishing museum collections in Petrozavodsk can be traced back to the 1830s.