Museums of Russia: Two unique interiors in Tsarskoe Selo re-open after restoration

Two unique interiors – Agate Office and Library are re-opening after restoration in “Tsarskoe Selo” Museum-Reserve near St. Petersburg on December 27th 2011.

To mark the end of large-scale works there is a new exhibition “Agate Rooms. Path to Revival” which is running in the Cold Bath pavilion. Children’s Creative Center will also open here.

Multimedia technologies will take young visitors on a journey to the Urals where jasper was mined to decorate the pavilion, let them discover the process of stone carving, and its presence in the décor of Agate rooms.

Apart from Agate Office and Library there are five more Agate Room interiors to be restored: Staircase, Grand Hall, Jasper Office, Oval Hall and Office (Kabinetets).

Agate rooms – are only apartments of Catherine the Great in Tsarskoe Selo which have preserved their original decoration up to present days. They are unique and do not have counterparts neither in Russia nor in European architecture. Restoration of Agate Office was launched in 2011. Along with Agate Office there were restoration works conducted in the Library, whose walls and ceiling have now returned their original look.

Restoration works in “Agate Rooms” are to be finished in 2013.