School of technical drawing
In 1876, by decree of Alexander II with funds donated by banker and industrialist Baron Alexander L. Stieglitz (1814-1884), founded the Central school of technical drawing.
The school existed in the percentage bequeathed to Stieglitz in 1884, the capital (about 7 million) and preparing artists of decorative and applied arts for industry, and teachers of drawing for secondary art and industrial school.
January 1898 — S. P. Diaghilev organised an Exhibition of Russian and Finnish artists in which along with A. N. Benoit and M. A. Vrubel participating Finnish artists V. Blomster, A. Gallen-Kallela.
The first Director from 1879 to 1896 was the architect M. E. Messmacher.
In 1892 there were departments: General art, decorative painting and carving, majolica, carving, woodcut, painting on porcelain, weaving and printed matters.

In 1994 Leningrad higher art-industrial school named. V. I. Mukhina transformed into the St. Petersburg state art-industrial Academy.

27 Dec 2006 Academy named A. L. Stieglitz.
The University enrolls 1,500 students and 220 teachers working.

The Academy graduated many artists who have made significant contributions to the art and culture of Russia, Latvia, Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine , Germany, France, Finland, Israel and in other countries