From 15 to 17 April 2010 an International conference The Museum and the State devoted to topical issues of cooperation of museums with state institutions was held at the Hermitage Theater. It was arranged in continuation of a series of conferences, meetings and discussions of the leading representatives of museum community that are arranged by the State Hermitage since 2006.

The conference was attended by directors of the world’s leading museums, supervisors, administrators, representatives of city and Federal state institutions of ministries of Russia and foreign countries. Reports included in the session program covered the most topical issues of museum development under conditions of modern economy and law. The following matters were brought up for discussion: museum economy, its activity and budget financing; the problem of preserving cultural heritage; the role of the state and the museum in reconstruction of museum buildings; replenishment of museum collections; state legislation and museum development.

Among the conference’s participants were the Federal Agency for supervising the observance of laws in the field of protection of cultural heritage of the RF, the Saint Petersburg Government, the Committee of the State Inspectorate for Preservation of Monuments, the RF Chamber of Accounts, the Victoria and Albert Museum, State Museums of Berlin, the Rijksmuseum, the Acropolis Museum, Restoring Ancient Stabiae Foundation, the Shanghai Museum, the Tretiakov State, the Peterhof State Reserve Museum, the Tsarskoye Selo State Reserve Museum, the Kerchensky Reserve Museum, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture of Italy, the Russian State Humanitarian University, the Kemerovsky Regional Museum of Visual Art, the Tsaritsyno State Historical Architectural Art and Landscape Reserve Museum.

An open dialogue between representatives of state authorities and museum professionals has been held at such a representative forum for the first time. It is especially important that the conference provided an opportunity for an exchange of experience at an international level, helped to present and discuss various strategies and ways of solving problems that the museum and the state are facing in order to fulfill their mission in the field of preserving cultural heritage. Presenters discussed a wide range of issues: legislation of recent years and museum activity, investment aspects of museum affairs, national responsibility of preserving collections, adaptation of historical buildings to museum needs, replenishment of museum funds, the history of state, and legislation in the field of fundraising.

The Conference was arranged with the support of:
The PRO-ARTE Foundation
The Ford Foundation
Likeon – Musical Concepts and Projects, LLC