Samsung and Hermitage: Revival of the XVIII Century Masterpiece and New Level of Information Support

10 July, 2007 the State Hermitage Museum and Samsung Electronics Company completed the unique restoration project - recovery of the melody clock that once used to belong to Empress Catherine II. The project was realized in the course of long-term cooperation between the most famous treasury of world art and the global electronics company.

It is symbolic that Samsung Electronics chose to restore this piece of art. The unique technology of melody choice, created in the XVIII century, is a predecessor of modern digital devices with different personal settings. Now Hermitage visitors will be able to witness the famous exhibit, which in XVIII-XIX centuries decorated interiors of palaces and then for a long time was placed in the museums' store-rooms.

It is an elegant table clock with a miniature built-in organ, which was created in 1792 in England by craftsman Eardley Norton and Gravell&Tolkein company by order of Empress Catherine II. Original mechanism with spring drive strikes hours and quarters of the hours with two bells and every hour turns on the miniature built-in organ, which plays one of the chosen twelve melodies.

"Usually restoration of similar clock may take up to several years. And it is not only the matter of long toilsome work; it also involves considerable financial contribution. For example even the lubrication needed for the mechanism has to be brought from Swiss where it is produced, - said Michael Guriev, chief of Laboratory of Scientific Clock Restoration and Melody Mechanisms. - Thanks to the support of Samsung we managed to complete the work in record time."

"I have great confidence, that the restored masterpiece will be one of the pearls of the Hermitage exposition. Today numerous visitors of the museum can be delighted with the amazing music clock, as well as enjoy favorite melodies anywhere and at any time, owing to the innovative products of our company," - said Mr. Don Joo Lee, president of Samsung Electronics Headquarters in CIS and Baltic States.

Samsung and Hermitage: New Level of Information Support

The State Hermitage Museum and Samsung Electronics Company are launching the project aimed to provide information support of the exposition by interactive computer technologies.

Owing to the new automatic system implemented in 14 museum halls, visitors can receive more detailed information about the exponents, look through their high quality digital images as well as get to know the history of their creation. The system works on the basis of the interactive computer terminals equipped with multimedia program.

"Thanks to Samsung support we can significantly enhance the quality of the museum information services. The interactive system will help to attract more attention to the unique Hermitage collections, besides it will provide visitors with maximum details and interesting facts about some of the rarest exponents," - said Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the State Hermitage Museum.

"The new project will set a good example of how leading technologies serve to cultural enrichment and spiritual education, - said Mr. Don Joo Lee, president of Samsung Electronics Headquarters in CIS and Baltic States. - I'am sure that our partnership with the Hermitage will have an even more successful and fruitful future."

Cooperation between Samsung Electronics and the State Hermitage started in 1997 from the equipment supply program of the museum's Main Entrance Hall. In the past years the company took part in the creation and equipping of School and Youth Centers, Lecture Hall and excursion office. The company's latest innovations became an integral part of the multimedia information complex and the Hermitage press-center, contributing greatly to the educational and informational activity of the museum.

Partnership overview the State Hermitage Museum and Samsung Electronics

2007-2008 Information support of the exposition by interactive computer technologies.
New automatic system is planned to be implemented in 14 museum halls.

2006-2007 10-year partnership anniversary. Restoration project: recovery of the unique melody clock of Empress Catherine II.
Grant for the technical equipping of the Youth Center, a new Entrance zone at the Winter Palace, and the excursion bureau of the museum.

2004-2005 Grant for Hermitage Entrance room optimization Information Display with ability to update visual and text information concerning new exhibitions, excursions, special programs. Equipment supply: museum employees working place organization.
Grant for the historical Meeting room restoration & Room for the seminars and conferences of very-qualified specialists.

2001-2003 Grant for equipment support to educational and scientists work of the museum: School center Lecture Hall; Student club; The Main Vestibule of the Winter Palace display panels; Press center.

2000-2001 Grant for equipment supply for Lecture Hall (Lectures on Art History)

1998-1999 Grant for Multimedia Information support for Main Entrance Hall (equipment supply: PRJ CTVs for museum information providing, video server, CDT monitors etc).

1997-1998 Grant for Entrance hall reconstruction, restoration work, information desks updating.

In Russia Samsung Electronics has been present for more than 15 years always taking an active part in social, cultural and sports life of the country. The company is a partner of the State Academic Bolshoi Theatre, the State Hermitage Museum, the Yusupov Palace and the Union of Russian Journalists. Samsung is Worldwide Olympic Partner and a general partner of Russian Olympic Committee. Annually the company holds the Running Festival in major Russian cities.

At the press-conference

Li Jae Hong, Head of the Representation of Samsung Electronics in St Petersburg

Mikhail Guryev, Director of the Laboratory for Scientific Restoration of Clocks, Watches and Musical Mechanisms

Signing of the protocol of cooperation

Hand-over of the grant for the project on informational support for exhibition rooms using interactive computer technologies