Museum of Hygiene

Sorry to be blunt, but do you wash yourself thoroughly every day? If not, a visit to St. Petersburg’s Hygiene Museum will remedy that for you. Put on your shoe covers, ascend the large staircase and prepare to make a clean break. Explanations about the origins of hygiene and the danger of exposure to some types of animals may give the impression that the museum is an innocent showcase for kids, but don’t let yourself be misled, this is not the case. Although the museum is undobtedly very informative for children, there is a lot to be learned for adults as well. The museum shifts its focus from hygiene to health as you walk along its halls, and the smokers and drinkers among you may want to quit after seeing a pair of charred lungs in a jar, or a liver bleached by the effects of alcohol. The 16+ hall takes a turn for the worse, with unborn fetuses preserved in jars. A nice addition to the museum is a display featuring one of Pavlov’s original dogs. After your visit you may well want to head home and rinse yourself properly, but you will probably be too busy answering your kids’ questions about reproduction. Still, it’s all good clean fun.