Colección del Museo Ruso (Russian museum)
In 2015, the Colección del Museo Ruso, a branch of the Russian State Museum of Saint Petersburg, chose Malaga as its first European branch outside Russia.
Located in the historic Tabacalera complex in western Malaga, it quickly became one of the city’s most talked-about cultural attractions.
It showcased major works of Russian art on loan from Saint Petersburg. It welcomed over 40 exhibitions featuring works by some of the biggest names in Russian art, including Vassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Marc Chagall, Alexander Deineka and Alexander Rodchenko.
The Malaga Russian museum and the war in Ukraine
However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and subsequent EU sanctions, the partnership came to an abrupt halt.
The artworks owned by the Russian state were returned to Saint Petersburg in May 2022. Some 714 artworks were carefully packed and transported by road back to Russia after institutional cooperation was suspended.
So what is the situation today?
Is the Russian museum in Malaga still open?
The short answer is yes. Albeit in a different format.
The museum space remains open under the name Colección del Museo Ruso and is managed by Malaga city hall. However, it no longer displays works from the Russian State Museum’s permanent collection.
Instead, the venue now hosts temporary exhibits on loan from private collectors, thematic art exhibitions (not exclusively Russian), cultural and educational programming (like the new MEET programme), and rotating international art displays.
While Russian art may still feature in exhibitions, it is no longer sourced directly from the Russian state museum.
As of February 2026, Malaga city officials have said the museum’s future and identity are under review, still linked to geopolitical conditions and changing exhibition content.
Where is the Museo Ruso Málaga located?
The Museo Ruso is located in the city’s outskirts, in the Carretera de Cádiz district, a popular area for young families visiting the city.
The museum is located in the magnificent La Tabacalera, a complex of beautiful buildings that was once a tobacco factory.
During the last decade, the area has developed into an important cultural hub. It has hosted the city’s Car and Fashion Museum and, more recently, the city’s Digital Content Hub.
Even if art isn’t your thing, the neighbourhood is still worth checking out. Walk along Misericordia beach to take in the wide selection of ‘chiringuitos‘ (beach bars) that have a much more local feel than La Malagueta, for example.
The Parque del Oeste is also a stone’s throw away.
Visiting the Russian museum in Malaga
If you are specifically hoping to see masterpieces from artists such as Kandinsky, Malevich or Chagall from the Saint Petersburg collection, those works are no longer on display in Málaga.
However, the museum continues to function as an exhibition space and cultural venue. Depending on the current temporary exhibition programme, it can still be well worth taking the bus from the centre to see the Colección del Museo Ruso. .
For up-to-date information on exhibitions, opening hours and ticket prices, visitors should consult the official website before travelling.
Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga over a decade ago, having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.