1996: The official announcement of the creation of the international Hermitage Friends Club

In 1996 the creation of the international Hermitage Friends Club was announced. In November that year the State Hermitage became the first Russian museum to organize an association of Friends. The idea of organizing such a body came from Hermitage Director Mikhail Piotrovsky.

The Friends Club is one of the Hermitage's special development programmes and provides substantial support for a host of restoration and reconstruction, educational and research projects, as well as programmes for the acquisition of new exhibits. The club has both individual and corporate members, both Russian citizens and foreigners. The Hermitage Friends Club coordinates the activities of Hermitage Friends associations around the world.

A Group Photograph of Club Members
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Membership Card, Club of Hermitage Friends
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