Main (Pulkovo) Astronomical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences was founded in 1839 by decree of Emperor Nicholas I and was designed by architect Alexander Brullov.

The main component of the excursion program for visitors of the Pulkovo Observatory is its Astronomical Museum, which exhibits reflect the history of the Russian astronomy of XIX-XX centuries. The museum is located in the Round Hall of the Main Building of the Observatory.

The first museum of the Pulkovo Observatory ("Museum of Old Instruments") was founded in 1884 and includes more than 100 astronomical instruments of XVIII-XIX centuries. However, during the Great Patriotic War (World War II ), many exhibits of the museum were destroyed. The museum and its exhibits were again revived in the post-war period in 1967. Today, visitors can see the unique exhibits of the museum - the geodetic instruments, measuring and computer equipment, with the optics of the largest telescopes of XIX-XX, collection of astronomical clocks, portraits of astronomers and scientists of the past centuries;they can see the centre of the Round Hall where the famous Pulkovo Meridian goes through.