The Hermitage has evolved a special kind of presence in various regions of Russia in the form of its permanently functioning centres for cultural events and exhibitions.
The Hermitage opened its first legation of this kind in Kazan in 2005. Today the Hermitage-Kazan Centre is thriving in Tatarstan’s capital, where it has successfully implemented various remarkable exhibition and education projects.
The year 2010 saw the Hermitage-Vyborg Exhibition Centre being inaugurated. The old borderline city that inherited many cultural traditions of Finland, Sweden and Russia nowadays is a popular tourist destination, its list of tourist attractions at present including also the Hermitage exhibition centre. The Hermitage-Vyborg has built up its audience and is a worthy representative of the Hermitage in the North-West of Russia.
The strategy of “cultural expansion” has gained momentum in Europe as well. In June 2009, the Hermitage-Amsterdam Exhibition Centre was opened in the long-standing Amstelhof building in the capital city of the Netherlands. Thus a new hub of cultural magnetism emerged in Amsterdam, shared by Russia and Europe.
