The State Hermitage Museum: Information

View from the Hermitage. Masterpieces are not Immortal
An article in the newspaper St Petersburgskie Vedomosti
29 August 2007 (Nr 160)

Museums are often like pioneers looking for ways that will be useful not only to them, but to society as a whole. The essence of routes is to turn challenges into opportunities. There are numerous examples: museums have learned how to earn money combining education with commerce and politics and are quite a success in doing so...

Today, museums have become one of the most important preservers of national heritage and spirituality. Libraries are not frequented much; television has hardly anything to offer. The church is still here but it has its own, particular goals. Museums have been burdened with a heavy responsibility. Not everyone can see that. Some still regard museums as defunct institutions, others blame them for trying to make money.
Despite the high philosophy above, there are material matters, simple and specific. In particular it concerns Palace Square. The State Hermitage Museum is always coming into conflict with someone, either large business or small business, or the city authorities. There are many issues to debate. The conflict over the square is perhaps the most striking.

Most memorial museums are located in the centre. We watch as city squares come to ruin; we have witnessed the end of Arts Square. It is crowded with cars so that you can hardly drive or walk through, with odd architecture that has appeared following the reconstruction. Alas, it is too late to show indignation. Sennaya Square, too, has been destroyed.

When we begin talking about Palace Square people often respond: What is that to you? It's not yours! Leave it alone! I am convinced, however, that the State Hermitage Museum has a duty to protect its surrounding environment and Palace Square must be preserved at any cost. It must be preserved because it is Saint Petersburg's main square, and Russia's main square, a link to the past. This is a grand monument symbolizing Russia's victory against Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812: the Triumphant Arch, Alexander Column, Hermitage halls. From which Palace Square took on a ceremonial role.

A square is a vast empty space. When Peter the Great came to the banks of the Neva River, he started building an Amsterdam, then he decided to build a Rome. Our squares resemble Roman forums. Saint Petersburg's grandeur consists of its spaciousness. I keep saying that there are not so many architectural masterpieces here. Our masterpieces are complexes, embankments, streets, and squares. When we attempt to change them, we ruin these masterpieces.

We have to resort to various means in order to protect the square. Abundance of transport is one of the troubles. Remember the coaches that crowded Palace Square only a short time ago. We spent a lot of time and effort trying to have them removed while reconstructing the square. They tried to make an elevated traffic island in front of Admiralteisky Proezd, as in the Arts Square. It would instantly turn into a huge parking lot for buses. The Hermitage Museum has insisted that buses stop in a designated area. It took years before we persuaded some of buses deliver tourists and then wait for them elsewhere. They now park in Konyushennaya Square too.

Cars represent another front which we have to fight against. They clog the streets around the Hermitage including Millionnaya Street. It is nice that newly married couples have pictures taken by the Atlantes. However, couldn't they walk instead of driving up to the Hermitage in their enormous limousines? Clearing the square of transport is a way to preserve it. Note that the Uffizi Gallery was blown up by a car parked inside.

The Palace Square Regulations are a second "front line" in this struggle. These have not yet been approved, although the State Hermitage Museum participated in their drafting. After all, it is the Hermitage Museum's Chariot of Glory on the Arch of the General Staff Building that was burnt down and the Hermitage's windows that shake each time a concert is held on Palace Square. We are trying to establish a civilized way of communicating with all social strata that lay claim to the square and part of the museum. Many of them want to have businesses in the museum or on the square. Some think that the Hermitage Museum has no right to lay claims to the square: "why does it always have to barge in?" When we say that you cannot do anything loud in the Palace Square just as you cannot do anything bad in taste they ask: "Why, does noise make anything fall down in the Hermitage?"

I have heard such comments often. It does not make anything fall down but statues do tremble and busts shudder on their plinths. We have recently executed a contract with the All-Russian Grabar Art and Science Restoration Centre and prepared a set of experiments to demonstrate the effect that sound has on the museum's pictures, sculptures and structure. It is early yet to disclose all our findings. All I can say is that they make imitations of pictures, age them and expose to sound. Experts observe what happens.

Measuring the consequences of vibrations is a guarantee that pieces of art will live long and we will obtain a way of extending their lives. We need to understand how long paint can live on a canvas and use scientific methods to develop special lacquers and restoration techniques. There are many challenges and we need to understand that artworks are not immortal, they will expire inevitably sooner or later.

In my opinion, we are doing an important job for the future. We need to think how to protect art from vibrations and sound effects that formerly were not a threat. When a concert is being held on the Palace Square, a work group measures oscillations and vibrations on museum exhibits and service structures. Suppose that it is alright today and still alright tomorrow but in a month or a year picture paint or sculpture marble will start to degrade. This can turn into a severe problem.

Again, sound is an awful thing. High noise level is harmful to people. It is no less harmful to history monuments and art too.

I can say, however, that we have already achieved some success. Entertainment organizers and city authorities seek agreement with the State Hermitage Museum to hold entertainment events on Palace Square. Although city authorities do not need the museum's agreement to proceed, they have actually admitted that the Hermitage Museum's opinion is not a caprice of the museum administration. It is a worthy position from historical and cultural points of view.

Concert organizers started making agreements which we force on them. These agreements provide for a set of terms and conditions. First of all, museum operations must not be disturbed and passage ways to the Hermitage and the General Staff must remain clear. Museum views must not be used in advertising materials. Above all, order and third party liability insurance must be guaranteed. In other words, should anything happen to anyone during an entertainment event on Palace Square organizers shall compensate them for damages.

Insurance practice is not yet developed in our country. It still seems natural if, in case of an accident, the government shows mercy and pays compensation to victims. People throughout the world win multimillion dollar cases in similar circumstances. The State Hermitage Museum seeks to develop insurance practice. Our position was initially objected to. Now organizers tend to sign the third party insurance clause without further discussions. To be honest, it is surprising that we should be so ignorant. Nobody had any idea that historical and cultural monuments should be strictly protected from legal and financial points of view providing for insurances and penalties. Hopefully, we offer an appropriate approach.

However, the key in our agreements with concert organizers is to specify a sound level. It must not exceed a standard of 85 MHz in the square. Sound must be measured, which we usually do on our own. Entertainment organizers engage a competent company that has a license for such operations. Measurements are taken at different points - it is a science in itself.

We took measurements during the concerts of Rolling Stones and Elton John. Their sound level was restrained, restrained deliberately. Specialists noted that Rolling Stones' concert sounded 'denser' and less aggressive than is the case when all dynamic speakers are on. The sound itself was somewhat modified. Consequently, sound can be controlled and there has already been experience in doing it.

I think this method can be used elsewhere. People suffer from noise throughout the city.
Sometimes we are unable to find sufficient evidence for our point of view within St. Petersburg and have to look further abroad to other cities to find out what experiences they have had. After we made virtually "military" efforts to restrict concert activities on Palace Square, talk started of using Red Square. There must be no noise by St. Basil's Cathedral. It may not be a problem for the Kremlin Walls, although nobody can be certain, but St. Basil's Cathedral is a fragile thing. The Moscow government is holding meetings to discuss noise levels in the capital city.

I believe that the Palace Square Regulations will be approved eventually. Generally speaking, you cannot hold any events on Saint Petersburg's main square apart from military ceremonies, starts and finishes of sports competitions, and occasional concerts which are harmless to the environment and health.

Meanwhile, before the Regulations are accepted, the State Hermitage Museum will continue to insist on strict conditions for entertainment events on Palace Square, apparently setting an important example for others.