One of the world’s finest collections is on display in the magnificently restored Shuvalov Palace, just a couple of minutes’ walk from Nevsky Prospekt. Pride of place goes, naturally, to nine Easter Eggs crafted for the last two Russian tsars, but the collection includes over 4,000 other items of all shapes, sizes and materials, some created by Fabergé’s contemporaries who, while they may have lacked his flair for PR, were certainly masters in their own right. Notwithstanding the intrinsic and financial value of some of the pieces, they are not hidden away behind velvet ropes, in fact you can get right up to the display cases, and we suspect that the cleaners spend most evenings wiping nose-prints off the glass. The entrance fee includes an excursion, indeed if you visit during the day you will have to join a tour, but don’t be put off if you are an independent sort: the tales to be told by the guides are informative and entertaining, and truly bring the exhibits to life.
