Opening the meeting, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Moscow Kremlin Museums Sergei Ivanov said that the Kremlin Museums were a unique facility comprising outstanding architectural monuments, national treasures and an invaluable collection of rare exhibits. Nearly three million people visit them every year, while the museums’ rich collections number over 160,000 depository items.
The Middle Trading Arcade on Red Square is being restored and rebuilt with a view to expanding the Kremlin Museums’ exhibition, research, restoration and educational capabilities. In keeping with the President’s decision, this federal cultural heritage site will be used as a modern and visitor-friendly exhibition centre.
Head of the Presidential Administrative Directorate Alexander Kolpakov reported on work to reinforce the load-bearing structures, inject the brick vaults and install utility systems at Historical Building “A”. He also focused on the construction of a solid-cast framework for the new Inner Building “B”.
General Director of the Moscow Kremlin State Historical and Cultural Museum and Heritage Site Yelena Gagarina noted that the commissioning of the new museum cluster would help to expand the Kremlin Museums’ exhibition space almost five-fold, the areas of the museum depositories and workshops four-fold, the public spaces (reception areas, education and information centres) ten-fold, and the utility spaces three-fold.