There is no money, but you get a pack

There is still no order to move part of the collection, no funds for moving to the Russian Museum. But it is ordered to prepare to free the premises.

What the responsible persons do not promise when it bakes: one - to eat your own hat, the other - go to the rails. Director of thermal Ministry Vladimir Gusev announced his readiness to “register weapons and shoot up” if the movement of museum values is not completed by November 1, as the conditions for the reconstruction of the court of the Mikhailovsky Palace require.

The press conference convened by the leadership of the Russian Museum was followed by the worked out scenario: at first to tire with some secondary topic (if before they talked about publishing and exhibition plans for a long time, then this time they took the halls of the Mikhailovsky Castle recently released by the Naval Library), then accuse the press of the spread of “fabrications”, and read the beaten-to-date multi-page release, and read out for an hour. And then get away from answers on the merits, forcing particularly corrosive journalists to repeat their question three to five times.

The text provided now was designed in the form of a plate: in the left column - quotes from a letter 96 of the timing officers who called for not allowing an emergency movement of funds and exhibits for the sake of dubious reconstruction , in the right - counterattacks, mostly unimportant ones.

Thus, the thesis that the premises selected for temporary storage are not even going to equip the fire extinguishing system, contrasted the expression of regret and certification in the impossibility of installing such in the monument. For this will require “practically reconstruction” (is not allowed at cultural heritage sites) - with the replacement of all window and door blocks “with automatic closing special doors that prevent leaks to the outside of inert gases intended for extinguishing fires, etc.”.

At the same time, the very embraced reconstruction of the courtyards of the Mikhailovsky Palace is not embarrassed-with a change in the volume and spatial characteristics of the Russian monument and capital construction on its territory, which is directly prohibited by law.

Assuring that everything goes according to the plan and deadlines for the execution of the project will be observed (it is reinforced by the mention of the letter of the deputy minister of culture Nikolai Maklakov, indicating “to take urgent measures up to 01.11.2018”), Mr. Gusev at the same time recognizes: the order of the leadership of the timing of the Museum of the Museum collection is still not possible. And the selection of temporary premises was not completely determined. For example, it is still being discussed whether to move the scientific library (190 thousand storage units) to the restored Antikov Castle Antiks Hall or to the White Hall of the Marble Palace. There is no money for moving either, only a promise in a letter to the same Maklakov. And it takes over 56 million rubles, of which the timing itself is ready to provide a little more than 22 million. The 34 million remaining with this deductible is comparable to the amount provided by the Ministry of Culture to transform the Etabyel of the Mikhailovsky Castle (near the house of Mikhail Archangel), 27 million.

And this raises questions already to the department of Vladimir Medinsky: what do they have with priorities there?

In the Russian Museum // Photo: MIR24.TV

At a press conference, Vladimir Gusev said that if the priorities determined the museum, then, of course, they would not begin with the atrium in the officer courtyard. But it was precisely for this that the World Bank agreed to provide a loan - in general, we must take what they give.

The signatures of the “Appeals of 96” are convinced of the inability to move for the remaining two months (according to their estimates, seven are required-subject to the coagulation of all other museum work).

The Director of the timing complacently believes that "we still have time." And he assures: “There will be no total closure of half of the halls. About something related to the large expositions of Repin, Surikov, we need to talk a little later, the scientific part is engaged in this. I can say something, and something will change ... "

So far, the Director of the timing definitely talks about the complete closure for the period of reconstruction of only six halls. Of these, within the framework of the project implemented with the participation of the World Bank, only the halls of Kuindzhi and the former house church, where the works of Venetinov and Fedotov are represented. And the remaining four museum is going to put in order independently (with a reservation: if there are funds). At the same time, it is allowed that it will be necessary to partially close the other halls, and somewhere to arrange fence that limit the passage for the construction of the construction.

“Avrala, there will be no damage and death of exhibits,” said Vladimir Gusev.

But besides verbal assurances, it seems that there is nothing more to present to the GRM leadership.