Representatives of the Hermitage State Museum, headed by the General Director Mikhail Piotrovsky, are on visit in Kazan. The signing ceremony between Kazan Federal University and the Hermitage State Museum took place on February 28.
Most of the meetings were organized in the form of dialogue. Professor Piotrovsky was asked many questions about the treasures, storages and exhibitions of Hermitage, he overlooked the plans for the future and the opportunities to work with the exhibits of the museums.
The question about the status of the Hermitage provoked interest among audience. The traditional concept of a "museum" does not cover all that extensive range of the Hermitage activities. Mikhail Piotrovsky in his turn identified the role of the museum – it is the Temple of Muses, therefore it should encompass educational, scientific, cultural and many other aspects of the activities.
The guests from St. Petersburg also took part in the presentation of the Internet portal «Hermitage Line». The main objective of the project «Hermitage Line» is to give information about the World Heritage presented at the Hermitage to any Internet user. The site should be a discussion space where activities and problems of Russian and foreign museums are covered, their role in the life of the country, the city and each individual is highlighted. As Mikhail Piotrovsky noted, the Internet should constantly and systematically fill the Net by introducing intellectual product.