— It is not my first program about the Hermitage. Previous material told about the Hermitage storage in the Museum complex «The Old Village». There is also a branch of the Hermitage in our city, so we have been looking for contacts with this museum for several years. What is more, there was a series of extensive materials about the paintings from the funds of the State Hermitage Museum exhibited in our city. As the author, I went to the place which was depicted in the picture a few centuries ago. I spoke with historians, local historians and investigated tragic fate of the owners of the paintings during the October revolution using archieve.

— The most difficult thing was to stand near the one of the most famous exhibits of the Hermitage – the Peacock clock. The mechanism is started only once a week and there are plenty of people who want to witness this spectacular action. The main viewers were little kids and I did not want to block their view with a tripod. Unfortunately, we still brought a temporary inconvenience with our large equipment to some people in order to show children from all areas of Kaluga region this wonderful mechanism. Actually, everything was simple. The Hermitage employees and the organizers of the media congress «The Dialogue of Cultures» went to our aid in all cases.

- You clearly noted that my task was not just to tell about the masterpieces of the Hermitage, but to create portraits of ordinary, but amazing people who are associated with these art works. People and masterpieces… What is more significant to a journalist? A common man. This is the main difference between a press representative and a museum worker. I am sure that the poimts of contact with the exhibits can be found not only in every city, but also in every village. After all, in every corner of Russia or even the world people know «Madonna Litta», «The Prodigal Son», every family was affected by the revolution in the early 20^th century. Each exhibition in the Hermitage Museum indirectly comes into contact with each of us. The program «Cultural Environment» was created in order to find this connection.