A member of the distinguished Russian family, Alexander Mikhailovich Galitzin had two sons. The elder, Mikhail Alexanderovich [1804-1860], became the Russian ambassador to Madrid, and began the establishment of the Galitzin family museum in Moscow that was opened to the public in 1865 by his son, Sergei Mikhailovich [1843-1915]. Alexander's younger son, Theodore Alexanderovich [died 1848], emigrated to Italy and lived in Rome; he died in Bologna fighting for the papal troops.