The State Hermitage Youth Education Center the history and traditions of different countries and nations. The Youth Center was launched in 2000 when Mijaíl Borisovich Piotrovsk, Director of The Hermitage, signed the order for the creation of the Student Club which bears the same name as the museum. Since 2011, it has been located in located in the east wing of Saint Petersburg’s General Staff Building, and since its founding it’s been supervised by curator Sofía Vladimirovna Kudryavtseva. At the core of the Student Club are thematic sections, which are managed by museum staff. Membership is open to students or graduates from universities in Saint Petersburg
Hermitage cats 2007, the museum began adopting cats needing homes. In 2011, the museum began a "Catfest", a celebration of its cat population. "Catfest" has included cat painting contests and scavenger hunts for children. Beginning in 2015, because of the number of visiting tourists, a website has been set up by the museum for people who may be interested in adopting a cat. “It is an honor to adopt a Hermitage cat,” one potential cat owner was told. Other cats kept to deter mice in public buildings include: Hermitage cats The Hermitage cats () are a group of cats residing in the