The School Centre of the Hermitage initiated a new type of educational programmes devoted to studying historical and cultural relations of Russia and Western-European countries in 17-20th centuries and to studying European culture in conjunction with history and culture of Saint-Petersburg. The programmes are realised both in the Hermitage and in one of the European museums - a partner of the Hermitage in this project. Every participant of the programmes works according to his own schedule.

The Hermitage programmes are developed by the reseach workers of the Hermitage for pupils of 8-9 forms (13-15 years old) and are divided into two parts. At the first stage leaders of the programmes deliver a course of lectures for pupils on art and culture of Russia and one of the European countries at a certain period of time that is significant for contacts and interrelations of two cultures. The pupils in their turn choose one of the topics offered by lecturers for their independent work results of which are to be reported at the annual conference in the School Centre. Reports at the conference together with illustrations are published in the Collected Papers that becomes the main result of the preceeding work of the participants of the programme. At the second stage direct cultural contacts of participants enable them to perform actual dialogue of cultures.

The School Centre of the Hermitage implemented three International programmes:
1. "Russia and the Netherlands in the late 17th century" in collaboration with the National Fund of the New Church of Amsterdam. The programme commemorates 300 anniversary of the Great Embassy of Peter I in the Netherlands in 1697-1698. The collected papers of the school conference were published under the same title.
2. "Germans and German culture in the history of Saint-Petersburg" in collaboration with the Kunsthalle Museum in Hamburg. The materials were published under the same title.
3."Russia and Sweden. Historical and cultural relations of the two countries" in collaboration with the National Museum and Armory of Stockholm. The materials are prepared for publication.

At the head of the International programmes is Anna Zablotskaya
tel.:710-96-73
fax: 717-87-56
e-mail:school_c@hermitage.ru