Delegation of foreign and Russian journalists visited the Presidential Library

On September 15, 2017, a group of foreign and Russian journalists visited the Presidential Library with a press tour organized by the Congress and Exhibition Bureau. The group included the media representatives of Ireland, Great Britain, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.

Located in the historical center of St. Petersburg in the erected in the second quarter of the XIX century by the project of an outstanding architect Carlo Rossi building of the Holy Synod accommodates the premises of the largest information and cultural center of Russia — the Presidential Library.

During the visit, guests were able to get acquainted with the history of the building, learn about its architectural features. For instance, about the fact that during the reconstruction of the premises, the open courtyard was transformed into a conference hall, where major state and public events, including of the highest level, are currently taking place. Representatives of foreign media also visited the restored in-house Church of Seven Ecumenical Councils.

In the electronic reading room, guests found out more detailed about the activities of the library. Combining historical traditions and the latest technologies, the Presidential Library forms a nationwide electronic resource, where books and periodicals, archival historical documents, newsreels, photo and video materials, scientific and educational films on the history of Russian statehood are collected in digital form. To date, the library numbers more than 550,000 entries.

In the exhibition halls, guests were able to see at once two expositions. One of them is dedicated to two important events in the history of the Northwest Region of Russia: the 90th anniversary of formation of the Leningrad Oblast and the 80th anniversary of founding of the Vologda Oblast. Among the exhibits there are copies of archival documents, such as the letter of Catherine II to the Vologda Bishop Ireneus about the opening of the provincial government in the Vologda Viceroyalty, the materials relating to the Great Patriotic War, photo albums dedicated to the well-known regional architectural monuments, as well as particular photographs: starting with the famous color photographs of S. M. Prokudin-Gorsky, made in the early twentieth century in the areas which are now part of the Leningrad and Vologda oblasts, to the works of contemporary authors.

The second exposition is focused on the Year of Ecology in Russia. For the first time, he exhibition presents specimens of seeds of cultivated plants from the world's largest collection gathered by the largest scientist and public figure of the XX century, N. I. Vavilov, which is now the national treasure of Russia and one of the largest genetic banks of our planet. Guests of the Presidential Library saw the plants collected during the expeditions of Vavilov and his followers, rare archival documents, photographs. Owing to multimedia equipment, media representatives got acquainted with video materials about the natural resources of Russia.

In the Constitution Hall, the tourists were introduced to a permanent exposition dedicated to the history of constitutional ideas in Russia from 1905, and in particular to the adoption of the country's basic law — the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Of particular interest was a copy of the inaugural version of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, on which the presidents take their oath.

Guests of the Presidential Library also visited the multimedia transforming compound level, where conferences, video lectures, film club meetings, multimedia lessons for schoolchildren and students lake place. With a use of cutting edge technical equipment, through video conferencing, people can take part in the events as from any region of Russia, such as from the abroad.