The Study Centre at the Hermitage Amsterdam

The Hermitage Amsterdam is not just a venue for exhibitions, it is also a place where visitors can learn about the history of relations between Russia and the Netherlands. The Study Centre is located on the ground floor of the Nieuwe Herengracht wing and its facilities are open to secondary school pupils and visitors to the Hermitage Amsterdam. Admission is free.

The Study Centre provides more information about:

• the history and the collection of the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg
• the history of Russia and St Petersburg
• Russia and St Petersburg today
• the history of Amstelhof and the Hermitage Amsterdam
• the exhibitions.

In the Study Centre the information is available in four different ways:

Via computers

Visitors to the Study Centre can research using computers and the Internet. Each workstation has the same home page from which the visitor can enter:

The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
This museum has a comprehensive website with access to the collection as well as the complex of buildings, the history of the museum, etc.

The Hermitage Amsterdam
Various aspects of the Hermitage Amsterdam: the building, the history of the project, facilities, previous exhibitions.

Russia / St Petersburg
More information about Russia and the city of St Petersburg and the other Russian museums with which the Hermitage Amsterdam is collaborating.

The exhibition
Background information on the subject of the exhibition including detailed information on individual works and artists.

There is also a fifth choice:

Library catalogue
The library is accessed through a digital catalogue. Searches can be made by subject, author, publisher and other key words. Each book has a unique number and location. All the books in the catalogue are in the Study Centre.

Via touchscreens: the film archive

Visitors can view old film footage, documentaries, interviews, etc. using several touchscreens. The main menu is divided into the following subjects.

Hermitage Amsterdam
Films about the openings of Phase 1 and 2 and the conversion of Amstelhof.

Hermitage St Petersburg
Interviews, feature films and documentaries, short film clips of interiors.

Exhibitions
Reviews and background of previous exhibitions at the Nieuwe Kerk (Catherine, Stroganov) and the Hermitage Amsterdam (Greek Gold, Nicholas and Alexandra, Venice!, Art Nouveau).

Via the large screen

Every afternoon a special film programme drawn from the archive of the Hermitage Amsterdam is shown. Visitors can watch these films on the tiered seats with headphones. The programme changes every month.

Via books/magazines

The Study Centre houses the library of the Hermitage Amsterdam and contains handbooks and reference works about subjects covered in the education programme. Pride of place is given to the collections of the Hermitage in St Petersburg and other Russia museums. There are about 45 metres of books, together with a reading table with magazines.

Opening hours

The Study Centre is open daily from 1 pm to 5 pm. On weekday mornings (10 am to 1 pm) it is reserved for class lessons for secondary pupils.

More information:

HERMITAGE AMSTERDAM
Press Office
Noepy Testa, Kim van Niftrik
T: +31 (0)20 - 530 87 55
F: +31 (0)20 - 530 87 50
E: pressoffice@hermitage.nl
W: www.hermitage.nl/pers