Mikhail Fedotov and Andrei Babushkin visited the Nicholas Roerich Museum building in Moscow, sealed after the “armed capture”

April 29th,  2017

Chairman of the Council for Civil Society and Human Rights under the President of Russia Mikhail Fedotov and the Council member Andrei Babushkin visited the Nicholas Roerich Museum, located at the Lopukhin’s estate on Maly Znamensky Lane in Moscow.

One day before the visit,  the building had been captured by armed personnel. The moment of seizure was witnessed by a member of the HRC, Ivan Zasursky.

According to Babushkin, about 30 people were around the building. These were employees, volunteers and visitors, who were not allowed to get in, as most of the Museum’s area was sealed with the seal of the State Museum of Oriental Art. Yet, nobody could explain why.

“We went to the museum and were able to see what was available. In fact, it is a unique building dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. All façades and interiors are perfectly restored without any support from public funds but with the help of the bank and private donors. Both, the museum and the centre are unique institutions. The actions of the Ministry of Culture seem to me quite incomprehensible, and create a threat to the non-governmental museum” – commented Andrei Babushkin.

The Council has been following the situation with the Nicholas Roerich Museum in Moscow for a long time. The details of the issue can be found in the blog of Yevgeny Myslovsky.

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