Peterhof Palace hosts Children Days from 24 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 04:09 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Peterhof Palace joins the Children Days festival from 24 October to 4 November and on 7 and 8 November 2026 in Saint Petersburg. The museum complex, known locally as Peterhof, is presenting interactive programmes in the Lower Park and at Oranienbaum.
Children Days brings interactive tours to Peterhof Palace
The autumn festival runs during the school holiday period, with two programmes linked to the museum reserve. The official Children Days programme gives the dates as 24 October to 4 November and 7 to 8 November 2026.
The Lower Park hosts Turning the Pawn, an interactive tour for children aged 9 to 12. Its route uses the Catherine Building and draws on the Chess Mountain Cascade, mirrors, Catherine the Great and Lewis Carroll. The programme uses a chess story to connect imperial history with puzzles and theatrical tasks.
A second tour, Crown, Violin and Secret Signs, takes place at the Japanese Pavilion of the Grand Menshikov Palace in Oranienbaum. It explores musical traditions associated with Russian rulers, including historical instruments, court music, dance and ways of recording melodies before modern notation became standard.
Peterhof Palace links its autumn programme to imperial spaces
The festival is not a separate city event placed near the palace. Its programmes occupy named museum buildings and park ensembles within the Peterhof reserve, giving visitors a choice between the Lower Park and the Oranienbaum complex.
The Lower Park route also falls within the final part of the 2026 fountain season. A museum notice says the fountains are scheduled to work until 4 November 2026, so the first festival dates overlap with the last advertised days of the water displays. The same notice describes autumn access to the Upper Garden and Lower Park, while a regional report records further seasonal changes from 19 October.
The combination matters for planning: a family visit can pair the Lower Park programme with the final fountain period, while the Oranienbaum tour leads to a separate ensemble with its own palace and pavilion setting. The museum materials identify the programmes as interactive tours rather than general sightseeing visits.
Visiting Peterhof Palace: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Children Days festival takes place from 24 October to 4 November and on 7 and 8 November 2026.
- The Lower Park programme is based in the Catherine Building, while the second programme is at the Japanese Pavilion of the Grand Menshikov Palace in Oranienbaum.
- The Lower Park fountains are scheduled to operate until 4 November 2026. This is the last advertised date for the 2026 fountain season and may be affected by severe frost.
- From Saint Petersburg, the museum calendar lists buses from Avtovo and Prospekt Veteranov, and suburban trains from Baltiysky railway station to Novy Peterhof station. Buses continue from Novy Peterhof towards the museum ensembles.
- The programmes are aimed at children aged 9 to 12. The Lower Park tour lasts 1 hour 15 minutes, while the Oranienbaum tour lasts 1 hour.
- Russia uses Russian as its official language and the rouble as its national currency.
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Frequently asked questions about Peterhof Palace
When does Children Days take place at Peterhof Palace?
The festival runs from 24 October to 4 November and on 7 and 8 November 2026.
Where are the Children Days programmes held?
One interactive tour is in the Catherine Building in the Lower Park. The other is at the Japanese Pavilion of the Grand Menshikov Palace in Oranienbaum.
Where is Peterhof Palace and how do you get there?
The museum reserve is in the Saint Petersburg area. The official calendar lists buses from Avtovo and Prospekt Veteranov, plus trains from Baltiysky railway station to Novy Peterhof station.
