A playback apparatus for playing back picture information from a storage medium storing one or more still pictures and still picture group management information for managing one or more still pictures as a still picture group. The apparatus includes a device for reading out the still picture group management information from the storage medium; and a memory for storing the still picture group management information read out from the storage medium. The still picture group management information is classified into a first type of still picture management information, a second type of still picture management information, a third type of still picture management information, or a fourth type of still picture management information. The still picture group management information includes still picture management information having a data size designated by the type.