Tucked away off the street, The State Russian Museum and Exhibition Centre ROSPHOTO is an unexpected treat. Exhibiting works from international as well as local artists, the gallery aims to open the eyes of the traditional-art loving city to the importance of photography. There are three exhibition halls and the ROSPHOTO office located in a picturesque building built by Alexander Gimpel and Vasily Ilyashev, the facade of which displays decorative panels based on drawings by Nicholas Roerich. The exhibit contains everything from archival photographs, including those from the ROSPHOTO collection, to fashion. Visitors are welcome at the cosy cafe with free Wi-Fi, and to the bookstore.