Directors of largest museums of the world will get together in Kazan at the end of August

President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev received director of State Hermitage Michael Piotrovski at the Kazan Kremlin. The issues of work of the centre "Hermitage-Kazan" , and also holding the session of the International Advisory Council of Hermitage were discussed on the session.

As Michael Piotrovski said in interview to journalists, he is satisfied with that the center "Hermitage -Kazan" is not only a place for holding good exhibitions and various events, but also the centre of attraction of different age peoples. For one year working of Kazan branch of Hermitage, 200 thousand person became its visitors. « It is a record figure for such museum », - Michael Piotrovski noted. Speaking about exhibition "Embroidery of the Western Europe from State Hermitage", which opened today, director of St.-Petersburg's museum noted, that it is reflected with traditions of Tatarstan, as soon as Kazan is famous by masters of gold embroidery. The subject of the subsequent exhibition of Petersburg's museum in Kazan was discussed at the meeting with Mintimer Shaimiev.

Besides, as Hermitage's director informed, it is planned, that members of International Advisory Council of State Hermitage, created in 1994 with UNESCO promotion will get together in Kazan at the end of August. « Directors of largest museum of the world - the British museum, the Louver and others are in membership of the Council, - Michael Piotrovski said. - We get together once a year, usually in Petersburg. This year, we decided to bring them to Kazan to talk about our museum affairs, and show them Tatarstan ». As he said, the planned meeting get full approval of RT President.

Answering a question on possible opening branches of State Hermitage in other Russian cities in spite of Tatarstan capital, M.Piotrovski noted, that Kazan is a sample for Russia. « I think, that there is no similar conditions in the other place, - he noticed. - We have center in Amsterdam. Its director arrived in Kazan from Istanbul to look Hermitage center. He was impressed very much. There are centers in London, Las Vegas.».

In conversation with journalists, M.Piotrovski also told about the activity as the president of Union of Russia museums. As he said, during the next annual organization's meeting, the problems of various Russian museums were discussed. Speaking about Elabuga and its museums, director of Hermitage expressed opinion, that many problems of this unique city can be solved by general efforts.