The Hermitage possesses one of the world's greatest collections of the works of art and the biggest museum in Russia. There are about 3 million exhibits in this museum. The date of founding the Hermitage is considered the year 1764, when the first collection consisting of 225 pictures was brought to St. Petersburg. These pictures had been purchased by Catherine the Great in Berlin. In 1863, the Hermitage became a public museum. At present, the Hermitage collections are kept in five buildings constructed in different epochs: the Winter Palace (1754-1762, designed by Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli), the Smaller Hermitage (1764-1775, designed by Yuri Felten and Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe), the Old Hermitage (1770-1787, designed by Yuri Felten), the New Hermitage (1842-1851, designed by Leo Klenze) and the Hermitage Theater (1783-1787, designed by Giacomo Quarenghi). In addition, Menshikov's Palace is a branch of the Hermitage. The purchase of the works of art for Emperors' collections continued until 1917. Thus, in 1769, they bought from the heirs of the Saxonian Count Brul about 600 canvases, including such masterpieces as Portrait of an Old Man in Red by Rembrandt, Perseus and Andromeda by Peter Paul Rubens, Deposition by Nicolas Poussin. In the subsequent years, the collection of Wallpole was purchased in England and the collection of Count Bodouin was purchased in Paris. In addition to canvases, collections of drawings and engravings were acquired, as well as antiques, works of Western European applied art, arms, coins, medals, books (including Voltaire's library). In the 19 th century, objects found during archaeological excavations began to be brought to the Hermitage. In particular, they formed the greatest part of the famous Scythian collection. After the revolution, many works of art from nationalized Emperors' palaces and private collections of Russian noblemen were also brought to the Hermitage. Some of these private collections had been well-known all over the world, such as the collections of the Yusupovs, the Sheremetevs, the Shuvalovs and the Stroganoffs. Under the Soviets, the Hermitage collections increased thanks to the materials of research expeditions. A special collection of the museum is the so called "Gold Treasury" which includes many items made of precious metals and jewelry originating from various countries and various epochs, from the epoch of Scythian and Greek goldsmiths to the beginning of the 20 th century. There is a lecture room at the Hermitage, theme guided tours and guided tours around all the museum are organized, concerts are held. There is a children's research society and a children's art studio at the museum.