This a superb palace-and park ensemble of the late XVII-early XIX centuries which was used as a summer residence of the Russian emperor and his family.

 
The Pavlovsk Park is one of the pearls of the world landscape art. It is the largest in Europe, it covers the area of 600 ha. Each of seven major park districts is marked by poetry, where the beauty of the northern nature is combined with exquisite skill of artists.

 
The works on the palace-and-park ensemble on the winding banks of the Slavyanka river lasted for 50 years. Architects: Ch. Cameron, V. Brenna, G. Guarenghi, A. Voronikhin, C. Rossi.

 
The formation of the collection of the Pavlovsk Palace was closely connected with the trip of its owners over Europe in 1781-1782. They visited workshops of well-known artists, ordering and acquiring paintings, furniture, bronze, articles, silk fabrics, china sets, etc. They brought to Russia a large number of antique sculptures from Italy, as well as gifts from European royal courts. The museum also displays an excellent collection of portraits by Russian artists and number of Pavlovsk landscape paintings and drawings.