The Hermitage is often approached by concerned visitors who think that dirty footwear is destroying the palace’s unique historical parquet and marble floors.
The most popular suggestion on this account is to make it compulsory to wear plastic shoe covers or special footwear. However, the museum is already implementing a whole package of solutions that make it possible to protect the interiors without creating unnecessary inconveniences for visitors.
A special programme has been devised to preserve the artistic parquet floors in the State Hermitage. The approach has been agreed with the Committee for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments and the Ministry of Culture. Highly qualified specialists carry out repairs to defective areas and local restoration in the halls of the museum and then cover the parquet with several layers of protective wear-resistant varnish. The parquet floors are wiped every day using a substance that is both cleansing and caring. This guards the wood against the deleterious effects of an aggressive environment while preserving the protective layer of varnish.
The stone floors are also washed with professional chemicals. Special compounds are regularly used that, upon gentle polishing, “plug up” the delicate, porous surface of the marble.
Mats and anti-dirt grilles present in each of the entrance zones help to remove sand, snow and moisture from visitors’ footwear. In winter the Hermitage’s outdoor territory is regularly cleared and treated with a de-icing agent for which the producer has obtained ecological certification from the state.
A further shortcoming of plastic overshoes is that they slip on marble, which can lead to falls, especially on the stairs. Felt slippers, meanwhile, additionally raise fine dust which then settles on the exhibits.
Finally, in 2023 the Hermitage has been visited by almost 3 million people: checking that every visitor is wearing overshoes would be extremely problematic. We should not forget either that single-use synthetic overshoes are very bad for the environment, and the huge amount of polythene requires special handling and recycling.
The Hermitage follows the principle that a person should feel at ease in a museum and does not insist on its visitors wearing overshoes. Put on comfortable footwear with non-slip soles when you come to the museum. Shake off and wipe your feet as you enter. Meanwhile, qualified specialists and high-tech cleaning materials will take care of the floors.
