Russian Ethnographic Museum (SEM) is located in St. Petersburg, near the building of the Russian Museum. It is one of the largest European ethnographic museums. The museum building was built in 1902-1913 by architect VF Svinyin.

The museum was founded in 1902 as a department at the Russian Ethnographic Museum. At the root of the formation of the museum were the largest Russian scientists: AN Pypin, PN Kondakov, VI Lamanskii, PP Semenov-Tien Shan, VV Radloff, VV Stas. Basics of the museum's scientific work laid down by them, alive and in the moment.

In 1934 the Ethnographic Museum was transformed into an independent museum and renamed the State Museum of Ethnography. In the summer of 1948 it was renamed the State Museum of Ethnography of the peoples of the Soviet Union. Since 1992 is the current name - Russian Museum of Ethnography.

In the museum visitors can get acquainted with the culture of the indigenous peoples of various old and new Russia, their way of life, ideology, morals; make sure that they have a lot in common, but at the same time they are different identity. SEM has the following departments: the ethnographic department of the Russian people, the Department of Ethnography of Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, further - the Baltic peoples, and the North-West, the ethnographic department of the peoples of Central Asia, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Department of Ethnography of the Peoples Urals and the Volga region, and finally - the peoples of the Far East and Siberia.
SEM is about family and every person of simple things: how people worked, sometimes reaching a high degree of skill is erected and settled in his house, raise children, they rested, dressed, what they believed. It is worth noting that each of the museum's unique style is different ensembles, national colors peculiar to this ethnic group.

Ethnographers conduct a study of the peoples in time and space in their cultural identity and community. All the exhibits - genuine, assembled themselves surrounded by many generations of ethnic museum workers. One ethnographic object can tell a lot about the ancient traditions of a people, their different sides of life. For example, an old Russian embroidered towel belonging to peasants, were used not only as a "utiralnik", but also covered the icon in the corner, it must include a dowry, they at the wedding the bride dispensed groom and his family, by tradition dear guests on it a tray of bread and salt, the coffin was lowered into the grave on towels. How much skill, labor, taste and patience invested in the creation of a peasant woman canvas and towels decoration ornaments.

In the halls of the museum presented a huge collection of costumes of the peoples of Russia, including the unique clothes from nettle fiber, and fish skin, rare ensembles attributes shamans of the Siberian people and the peoples of the Far East, the wonderful Central Asian rugs, utensils and ceremonial weapons Caucasian people, ornaments made of different materials, and more.

Today the Russian Museum of Ethnography stores 500 000 157 ethnographic exhibits of numerous small and Russian peoples, from the XVIII century. No wonder foreign colleagues called the museum "Ethnographic Hermitage." The volume of meetings, reflecting the culture of each nation, to create a self-exposure, but, due to lack of space, today visitors can see only a small part of this rich collection.

Russian Museum of Ethnography, fulfilling its main mission, engaged in the collection, study and recreation in the expositions of the traditional culture of ethnic multi-ethnic country, causing interest in the historical roots of their own culture, contributing to the growth of national consciousness and awareness of the need for respect for the principles of life, customs and traditions of other nations.