Cities in Siberia have somehow tried to retain the essence of their good-old times in spite of the continuous growth and development.
One must definitely visit the Siberian cities to indulge into the Russian affair. Irkutsk has some beautiful wooden and stone buildings, some museums, churches as well as central markets. Novosibirsk is the 3rd largest city in Russia and has some strong cultural flavors and interesting museums and monuments. The wooden architecture in Tomsk is so appealing that you wouldn't want to keep your camera inside the bag. Ulan Ude is a centre of Buddhist Buryat culture, and hence you'd find classic monastries and some other attractions including the Winter palace of Bogd Khaan as well as a museum and gallery.