Tsar Peter would be pleased

Today, we have the pleasure of marking a new stage in the Hermitage museum's unique cooperation with the Netherlands and Amsterdam. The new big building of the Hermitage Amsterdam centre is opening to the public today in all its splendour. This is a unique exhibition and educational centre, based on multi-level interaction between state, public and private institutions. The preceding stages were memorable and interesting: a series of spectacular exhibitions from the Hermitage in the Nieuwe Kerk, renovation of the rooms of Dutch painting and conservation of some of the works themselves, carried out with the help from the Friends of the Hermitage in the Netherlands, the opening of the Hermitage Amsterdam at the Neerlandia villa and the holding of ten exhibitions there, work on the project for the reconstruction of the Amstelhof and its realization, the grand exhibition At the Russian Court: Palace and Protocol in the 19th Century and the awarding of Russian state honours to our Dutch colleagues.

All these events have two meanings, it seems to me. One of them we see here: the continuation and development of the course of Peter the Great, who made ties between Russia and Holland one of the priorities of his policy. It was he who laid the foundations for good and friendly relations between our two nations. The city of St Petersburg was built with Amsterdam in mind as a model. Its very name in the early years of its existence was in the Dutch language. Moreover, our national flag had and still has much in common with the Dutch flag. At the end of the 20th century, Dutch kindness and goodwill not only helped the Hermitage to solve some problems of a financial nature, but also became a stimulus for the global development of our museum. The idea of creating a 'satellite' of the Hermitage in Amsterdam was favourably received in the Netherlands and looked upon as a continuation of the traditions of mutual collaboration established by Peter. The years of cooperation have showed that these traditions are still very much alive.
The Tsar would be pleased.

The second meaning springs from the first but is broader. Our joint project is part of the global concept of "The Great Hermitage", envisaging a whole scheme for making the Hermitage collections accessible on a worldwidelevel. It embraces the main permanent exhibitions, new galleries, the open Repository, exhibitions outside the museum, 'satellites' of a research, exhibition and educational character, and, finally, the presence of the Hermitage on the Internet.

That global strategy has coincided wonderfully with the strategy and tactics of human relations. Our Amsterdam centre would have been impossible without its main originator - Ernst Veen - with whom we have been good friends for many years. At the same time, the warm positive attitude of many others has contributed greatly to its success. Among them are the Dutch Friends of the Hermitage, museum workers in the Netherlands, Dutch journalists and art lovers, the Amsterdam city authorities, and of course, the royal family.

On the Russian side, the project was sanctioned by the government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture.
Tsar Peter would be pleased.

The terms of our relationship are formalized in the Agreement between the Russian Ministry of Culture, the Hermitage and the "Hermitage on the Amstel" foundation. For each exhibition project, a separate agreement is signed. The whole procedure is entirely based on the existing regulations of the Russian Federation governing the organization of exhibitions and museum activities abroad.

The project has its own "political economy". The Hermitage contributes its name (the "brand"), prepares exhibitions, including the concept and its detailed working-up, carries out conservation of the art works, lends art works for the exhibitions, and prepares the exhibition catalogue. The Dutch side provides the whole infrastructure for the exhibition, buildings, premises and staff; it is responsible for the finance and the public presentation of the exhibition. Dutch specialists, together with their Hermitage colleagues, work out a design of the exhibition that aims to be as attractive and accessible as possible for the educated European public. The division between content and infrastructure is not something absolute and set in stone. We have a whole system of mechanisms for cross cooperation in every field and in each particular case. Dutch colleagues play an active part in determining content; the Russians participate in organizational arrangements.

As a result, the Hermitage has received additional premises and a vast new audience for its exhibition and educational activities. In one of Europe's major cultural centres we are able to present Russian history, Russian culture, and Russian views on world culture and history. This is a unique opportunity. Here, we are playing "on home ground" one might say. The Hermitage is partially compensated for its expenses by receiving one euro per visitor to be spent on its restoration. We know from experience that the activities of our centres abroad make St Petersburg more attractive to foreign visitors. More people want to come to our city and to see the real Hermitage.

In its turn, the Dutch side gains a unique opportunity to see, on a grander scale than ever before, the collections of the State Hermitage Museum and other Russian museums, and to get an idea of the Russian interpretation of the history of world culture. Now Amsterdam has a new major centre of cultural activity, one that is attractive for people across Europe. In fact, each tourist coming to Amsterdam has a good reason to stay one more day here.

Both sides taking part in the project have become the creators and organizers of a unique cultural centre which unites the museum and cultural forces of Europe, combines Russian and European cultural energies and produces a conceptually new cultural product with deep significance and a high degree of attractiveness. A new model of cultural cooperation is being created, combining different traditions in an integral entity and looking to the future.

One of the most important goals of the project, envisaged from the very beginning, is expansion. The project is open to new kinds of activities, be it in the field of education, research or conservation. It envisages the active involvement of other Russian museums in the work (something which is already being discussed) and of European museums and collections (negotiations in this area have also begun).

The Russian museum tradition, which came from Europe, is coming back to Europe, transformed, enriched, and in demand.
Tsar Peter would be pleased.

The Hermitage • Amsterdam Centre in the Amstelhof


The Amstelhof - a unique architectural complex of XVII century


Mikhail Piotrovsky with journalists in the building under restoration


Works in the courtyard of the Amstelhof


Works in the building of the Amstelhof


Preparation of the sculpture for the exhibition


Items of the future exhibition


Packing of the items for the exhibition


Portrait of Peter the Great
Pieter van der Werff
1690s