St. Petersburg is the Roerichs' motherland. It was in this city that a unique constellation of inspired, creative and seeking soles was born and developed. Nicholas Konstantinovich was born under the protection of the Apostles St. Andrew Pervozvanny and St. Nicholas of Myra and Lycia - in the house on the University embankment, just opposite the Chapel of St. Nicholas, attributed to St. Andrew's Cathedral. Here Nicholas Konstantinovich was later baptized. Helena Ivanovna came to this world under the protection of the greatest Saint in Russia, Sergi Radonezhsky, in the house on the Sergievskaya street, close to St. Sergi's Cathedral "of all the artillery", where she was later baptized. The first common address of Nicholas Konstantinovich and Helena Ivanovna on the Galernaya street became the first St. Petersburg address of the Roerich children - George and Svetoslav.

The necessity to found the Roerichs Museum in St. Petersburg became vital long time ago. The first Roerichs Museum and the Society of its friends were founded on the territory of the former Soviet Union, in Riga, in the years of independency of the Baltic states. At the same time the Pact support groups were established in Estonia and Lithuania.
As it is widely known, starting from the end of 1930-ies the Roerichs tried to return to their motherland. Only in 1957, the elder son, G.N. Roerich, the well-known orientalist, succeeded in coming back to Russia after the death of Nicholas Konstantinovich and Helena Ivanovna. While living in Moscow and being the head of the Oriental Institute, George Nicholaevich spent huge efforts on organizing the Museum of N.K.Roerich in Leningrad, the Roerichs' native city.
The works of art, things and documents from the huge collection brought by George Nicholaevich to the Soviet Union, as well as documents, memorial things, things and furniture from their former apartment on the Moika river embankment, preserved in Leningrad by the Mitusov family should have made up the main part of the exposition. (Stepan Stepanovich Mitusov (1878-1942), the cousin of Helena Ivanovna Roerich, was the closest friend and employee of Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich in the School of Drawing of the Imperial Society for Encouragement of Arts).
It was the will of N.K. Roerich and H.I. Roerich. Part of the brought art collection was intended for museums of Moscow, Novosibirsk and some other cities of Russia.
However, S.S.Mitusov and his family preserved for future not only the cultural heritage of the leaving epoch (including the Roerich heritage), but also the works of culture and its unique spirit. Keeping close links with the New York Museum, Mitusov took active part in preparing the second step of the Roerich Central Asian expedition, after meeting Nicholas Konstantinovich and Helena Ivanovna in Moscow in 1926. It was then that he got from the Roerichs some things and documents, which he appreciated a lot, as well as some material support. In due time Mitusov handed over part of the Roerichs' things, paintings and documents to the brother of Nicholas Konstantinovich Roerich - B.K. Roerich, which caused displeasure among the Roerichs. Later on some documents from this collection enriched the funds of the State Tretyakov Gallery. Part of the Mitusov's archives and furniture was destroyed during the siege of Leningrad. The siege also took the lives of the members of once a big family. Only the middle and younger daughters of Stepan Stepanovich - Ludmila and Tatiana - survived. It was in 1927 that Ludmila Stepanovna Mitusova got acquainted with Zinaida Grigorievna Lichtman (Fosdik), who later on became the Head of the Roerich Museum in New York. Since then and till the last days of Zinaida Grigorievna they were in close correspondence. "You have taken the responsibility to fulfil part of the vows of Nicholas Konstantinovich", wrote Stepan Stepanovich to his middle daughter in 1933 from Hibinogorsk, where he was arranging the Workers' Conservatoire at that time.
"We will get what we wish", G.N. Roerich used to say to L.S Mitusova in 1960 about the Museum of N.K.Roerich in Leningrad. By that time he had gained the approval of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR on its founding. An intensive correspondence started; the Geographic Society as well as other organizations took active part in the preparation of the Museum opening. Leningrad authorities also joined the process. However a sudden death of George Nicholaevich Roerich interfered and this vital issue was not finally resolved. In such conditions the organization of the Museum-Estate of N.K. Roerich in Izvara became a certain achievement. The contribution of the sisters Mitusov became the basis for the collection of genuine things, without which the museum would not have been opened in 1984. Some documents and items of the Mitusovs' collection were also transferred to the State Museum of the History of Literature, Art and Culture of the Altai (Barnaul), The State Public Library in Leningrad and to the State Russian Museum.
In 1970-ies the last member of the Roerich family alive - artist Svetoslav Nicholaevich Roerich, continued the work on the museum establishment, first of all attracting to the process figures of art and science. His appeals to the Academy of Sciences, Academy of Arts and Leningrad authorities helped to preserve the family things of the Roerichs. However, the issue of the Museum of N.K. Roerich and his family in St. Petersburg has been open till now. Documentary fund, preserved by 1998 by a group of scientists and employees of St. Petersburg State University and Memorial Collection of S.S.Mitusov, served as the basis for publishing a scientific and artistic periodical of the University "St. Petersburg Roerichs Collection".
The Roerich Centre of the University was founded on its basis in 2000, and a work group on the museum founding was formed. The main concept of the future museum is the Roerich idea about a Museum (in a broad sense). A museum is not only the collection of things that have artistic, historical or some other cultural value, but first of all it is a House, Abode of Muses of all forms and trends of the human creativity, their Unity as the proof of the spiritual unity of the mankind and its internal aspiration towards perfection and creativity, aspiration for the Beauty. And by all means, the Roerich Museum should become such an "abode of all forms of the Beauty and not only to preserve these or those examples, but to use them for life and creation" (N.K.Roerich). Thus, taking into account the variety of lives and creative activities of Nicholas Konstantinovich, Helena Ivanovna, George Nicholaevich and Svetoslav Nicholaevich Roerich, this must be the Roerichs Family Museum and Institution.
In 2001 there was a 100th anniversary of the Roerichs' marriage (28 October, old style). And in the centennial year of birth of this wonderful family the Roerich Family Museum and Institute was founded in their native city - St. Petersburg.

The project elaborated by St. Petersburg State University, its Roerich Centre and the International Charity Fund "The Roerich Heritage" got the approval of the Administration of St. Petersburg, as well as of a number of scientific and public organizations. L.A. Verbitskaya, Rector of St. Petersburg State University, sent her special appeal to the Museum. V.A. Yakovlev, Governor of St. Petersburg, expressed his support in his welcome speech. Currently the issue of allocating a separate building for the museum in the historic part of the city is under consideration. According to the project, the heritage preserved by L.S.Mitusova and her family will make up the basis of the memorial exposition. However, already now a number of owners of private collections have handed over artistic and other items to the museum. The International Charity Fund "The Roerich Heritage" is taking the responsibility to provide financial and other support of the current museum activities.

Thus the Roerichs' ideas have been returning to their sources, and the "genetic" continuity has been recreated in the cultural and historical space of the cultural capital of Russia. Time has come when the native city and the native walls of the Roerichs become a worthy frame for a beautiful picture - the rich creativity of the great family.