This article explores the potential for functional transformation of historic urban cemeteries using the example of Smolensk cemeteries in St. Petersburg. The study combines a theoretical and methodological analysis of various approaches to cemetery research with empirical methods, including field observations and the analysis of digital traces to understand current spatial practices and users’ perceptions. The article emphasizes the changing role of cemeteries from monofunctional spaces of grief to complex, multifunctional elements of the urban tissue. Drawing on international practices and local case studies, the authors develop three scenarios for transforming the site: establishing a dedicated museum at the Smolensk Lutheran Cemetery, enhancing the recreational potential of the Smolensk Orthodox Cemetery, and creating a unified open-air museum complex. A SWOT analysis is conducted for each scenario, with the separate museum model emerging as the most viable. The study positions cemeteries as vital components of urban cultural infrastructure.