Sevastopol: construction of the Russian Art Gallery building has been completed at Cape Khrustalny

In Sevastopol, on Cape Khrustalny, the construction of the Russian Art Gallery building has been completed. For the first time in 100 years, a new independent museum has been created in Russia and a new national art collection is being formed. The gallery building was built on the initiative of President Vladimir Putin. The architectural concept of the museum complex was developed by the international agency Coop Himmelb(l)au of the Austrian architect Wolf Prix.

This is a landmark project that we built on behalf of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. The Russian Art Gallery will open in the new year 2026; this facility will become not just the largest art museum in the South of Russia, but also a powerful center of culture, education and creativity with truly unique solutions. Our main task now is to fill these majestic spaces with living content, to make them the heart of cultural life, a point of attraction for residents and guests of the city. Looking from here at our bay, at the changing appearance of Sevastopol, you clearly understand: this and other objects are not just buildings, they are a step into the future of our city, its new cultural code,” the press service of the Government of Sevastopol quotes Mikhail Razvozhaev.

As Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government Marat Khusnullin noted, the gallery will become the largest art museum in the south of Russia.

The objects of cultural and educational clusters, which are being built in four cities — Vladivostok, Kemerovo, Kaliningrad and Sevastopol on behalf of the President, are without a doubt the largest “cultural construction” and are intended to become symbols of modern Russia. In Sevastopol, the Russian Art Gallery with a total area of ​​more than 14 thousand square meters. m can simultaneously accommodate up to 800 visitors. The complex will become the largest art museum in southern Russiasaid the Deputy Prime Minister.

As conceived by the architects, the main part of the museum complex building – the “exhibition cloud” – seems to float above the museum area, forming an open space underneath. From here you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Sevastopol, the cultural cluster and Sevastopol Bay. The museum will be five-level: two “underground” floors and three above-ground.

The museum building houses 4 large exhibition halls with a total area of ​​more than 3 thousand square meters: a gallery of private collections, a gallery of modern art, a gallery of classical art and a gallery of heroes of Sevastopol. There will also be an education and creativity center, a research and restoration center, a digital arts center and a 43-seat dome theater.

Innovative technologies were used during the construction of the building. For example, they equipped a unique glass dome of 264 double-glazed windows, installed a modern climate control system, installed architectural lighting and a special lighting system to preserve the exhibits.

To date, 1,252 museum objects stored in the Russian Art Gallery have already been registered in the State Catalog of the Museum Fund of the Russian Federation. The institution itself is a museum of contemporary art, whose concept is focused on Russian art of the post-war period and contemporary art from the Global South. The museum studies and tracks artistic processes in Southeast Asia, India, Africa, Latin America, Central Asia and the Middle East.

Two exhibitions are timed to coincide with the opening of the Museum complex.

Exhibition «Deineka!» will open May 22, 2026. This is a flagship project dedicated to the work of the great artist Alexander Deineka, including his works from the collections of the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum and other museums.

Exhibition “Heroes. Elements» will open on June 12, 2026. This is an exhibition representing the sea through the eyes of Russian and world artists, and denoting the future important semantic core of the Russian Art Gallery — the Gallery of Heroes of Sevastopol.

From March 2026, a development and creativity center will begin operating, as well as a digital art center, where lectures, master classes and an event program will be held for residents and guests of Sevastopol.

A new archaeological park has been created next to the Russian Art Gallery. Fragments of ancient objects and the remains of city buildings of the 19th century are preserved here.

Let us remind you that in the fall of 2024, the southernmost Academy of Choreography in Russia, designed for 250 students, opened its doors in Sevastopol. Work on the construction of a cultural cluster in Sevastopol continues. Including the construction of the dominant feature — the Opera and Ballet Theater. This is a unique object in terms of design, not only in Russia, but throughout the world.

source: press service of the Government of Sevastopol