Favorite Places of Your Favorite City




BOOK NOW

Unbeatable Flight Deals ONLY on Trip.com ✈️

🌍 Exclusive offers! Book flights at guaranteed lowest prices - travel dreams await!

Unbeatable Flight Deals ONLY on Trip.com ✈️
National Art Museum

National Art Museum

5 min. to read

National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, located at 20 Lenin Street in Minsk, is the largest art museum in the country and one of the richest museums in Eastern Europe. Founded in 1939 as the State Art Gallery, it has undergone many trials, including significant losses of its collection during World War II. Today, the museum houses more than 30,000 exhibits, representing Belarusian, Russian, Western European, and Eastern art from the 15th to the 20th centuries. The building that now houses the museum was originally designed as the State Art Gallery. The project was the work of renowned Soviet architect Mikhail Ivanovich Baklanov. During the construction, completed in 1957, changes were made to the original design, including adjustments to the architectural elements of the façade. For example, instead of the thematic high-relief in the entrance area, other sculptural compositions were created by Belarusian sculptors Andrei Bembel, Petr Belousov, Sergei Adashkevich, and the Roberman brothers. The museum's façade, executed in the classical style, combines triumphant grandeur and monumentality, making it an important architectural landmark of Minsk. The main entrance to the museum is adorned with a colonnade of the composite order and a stylized attic-pediment, crowned with sculptural compositions. These architectural elements give the building a solemn and majestic appearance, emphasizing its important cultural significance. The museum's interior is also designed in a grand style—a two-story vestibule with a three-flight staircase connects the first and second floors, where exhibition halls are arranged in a suite. The museum's history dates back to 1939, when the State Art Gallery was founded by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the BSSR. The first director, Nikolai Mikholap, played a key role in shaping the museum's collection, which initially included works of Belarusian and Soviet art. During World War II, a significant part of the collection was lost, but in the postwar years, museum workers began the process of restoration, and by 1946, the collection had been significantly replenished. In 1957, the museum received a new building, along with a new name—the State Art Museum of the BSSR. With the independence of Belarus in 1991, the museum received national status and was renamed the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus. Today, the museum has over 30,000 works of art, including ancient icons, sculptures, paintings, graphics, and decorative and applied arts. The collection of Belarusian art covers the period from the 12th to the 20th centuries and includes iconography, wooden sculpture, church utensils, as well as painting and graphics of the 19th-20th centuries. A special place in the exhibition is occupied by the frescoes of the Annunciation Church in Vitebsk, portraits of representatives of the Radziwill and Sapieha noble dynasties, and works by artists such as Ivan Khrutsky and Vitold Bialynitsky-Birulia. Russian art is represented by works of masters such as Ilya Repin, Ivan Shishkin, Ivan Aivazovsky, and Valentin Serov. The museum features more than 5,000 works of Russian art from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Western European art includes works by artists from Italy, Holland, France, and Flanders from the 16th to the 20th centuries. One of the most notable exhibits is a portrait of a young Marc Chagall, painted by his teacher Yudel Pen. However, works by Chagall himself, as well as those of other masters closely associated with Belarus, such as Kazimir Malevich and Valentin Vankovich, were absent from the museum's collection for a long time. This is because many works were taken by the Nazis to Germany during World War II, and only a few were returned. The museum is actively involved in exhibition and research activities. It regularly hosts exhibitions, master classes, lectures, and interactive tours. The museum also has several branches, including the "Vankovich House" museum and the Museum of Belarusian Folk Art in Raubichi. The National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus collaborates with museums around the world, organizing exchanges of exhibitions and scientific materials. In addition to exhibition work, the museum conducts restoration projects, scientific research, and publishes catalogs and albums. The museum also houses a library, a film club, a children's art studio, and an art café, making it not only a repository of artistic treasures but also a cultural and educational center for residents and visitors of Minsk.
National Art Museum: Features and location
How Long Does It Take to Move On? Study Reveals the Timeline of Emotional Detachment
How Long Does It Take to Move On? Study Reveals the Timeline of Emotional Detachment

Study reveals it takes an average of 8 years to fully detach emotionally from an ex. Factors like attachment style and contact impact the process.

Read more

Sights Nearby

Latest Articles

The Best Bedtime Revealed: Psychologist Schneeberg’s Age-Specific Tips
The Best Bedtime Revealed: Psychologist Schneeberg’s Age-Specific Tips

Discover the best bedtime for adults from psychologist Lynelle Schneeberg. Tips for all ages to boost health and sleep quality.

Read more

Brain Aging Starts at 44: How to Slow It Down and Stay Sharp
Brain Aging Starts at 44: How to Slow It Down and Stay Sharp

Brain aging starts at 44, accelerates at 67, and becomes irreversible by 90. Learn how diet, lifestyle, and ketones can help slow cognitive decline.

Read more

Future of Work: Jobs at Risk & In-Demand Skills by 2030
Future of Work: Jobs at Risk & In-Demand Skills by 2030

By 2030, automation will transform the job market: 92M jobs will vanish, 170M will emerge. Learn which skills will be key to future success.

Read more

Do Pajamas Kill Passion? The Surprising Benefits of Sleeping Naked
Do Pajamas Kill Passion? The Surprising Benefits of Sleeping Naked

Discover how pajamas can affect passion in relationships and why sleeping naked might improve intimacy, happiness, and overall well-being.

Read more

The World's Smallest Park in Japan – A Guinness Record Attraction
The World's Smallest Park in Japan – A Guinness Record Attraction

Discover the world's smallest park in Nagaizumi, Japan—just 0.24 m²! A unique Guinness World Record attraction with a bench, greenery, and a charming design.

Read more

Sights in Minsk

Upper Town

Trinity Suburb

Red Church

Minsk City Gates

Opera and Ballet Theatre

Zybitskaya Street

Park of History Sula

Museum of Great Patriotic War

Independence Avenue

Victory Square

Holy Spirit Cathedral

Minsk Town Hall

Island of Tears

National Library of Belarus

Independence Square

ру | en | 中文

Contact author