On 20 March 2007, Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage and Patrick Naughter, General Manager of the Renaissance St. Petersburg Hotel Leasing Ltd, signed an Agreement on future cooperation for the sake of preparing and implementing a program of informational support to the museum's activities. The objective of the cooperation is to facilitate development of State Hermitage's cultural activity and development of its international relations, as well as development of the Hermitage Friends Club program.

This partnership consists of preparing and implementing a program of informational support to the museum's activities, including exhibitions within the State Hermitage and abroad. In order to achieve the stated intentions, the State Hermitage offers to the Renaissance St Petersburg Baltic Hotel the status of Official Partner of the State Hermitage.

The signing ceremony took place in the Hotel Renaissance, which is situated on Pochtamtskaya Street, 4 in St Petersburg. Under the Agreement, the Hotel will provide special prices for rooms to official guests of the State Hermitage and members of the Hermitage Friends Club, as well as to members of the foreign Societies of Hermitage Friends. The hotel also will make internet bookings of entrance tickets to the Hermitage for its guests and will serve as the venue for various programs of the State Hermitage with the museum's participation.

Moreover, the Agreement stipulates the joint preparation and implementation of a program of informational assistance to the activities of State Hermitage representations abroad (in Las Vegas, USA; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and London, U.K.) and to the foreign exhibitions organized by the State Hermitage.

The hotel lobby carries brochures in Russian and English regarding the temporary exhibitions of the museum, information about the museum and its branches, the newspaper News of the Hermitage, and booklets about the Club of Hermitage Friends.

In addition, the status of Official Partner of the State Hermitage gives the Renaissance St Petersburg Baltic Hotel the exclusive right to reproduce the museum's logotype and images from the collection of the State Hermitage on hotel guests' key cards. This key offers hotel guests a unique opportunity to visit the Hermitage without standing in line. The guests need only present their room key at the Commandant's Entrance (from the Palace Square). Without losing time waiting, the guests can then purchase their tickets at the cashier's window of the museum and acquaint themselves with the world-renowned art treasures.

Mikhail Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage and Patrick Naughter, General manager of the Renaisssance St Petersburg Hotel Leasing Ltd signing the Agreement

On the terrace of the Renaissance Hotel