St. Petersburg
It has already become a tradition that the staff of the “German-Russian Meeting Center” and congregational members of St. Paul's and Anna's Lutheran Church organize a program of events in Petrikirche on the city-wide “Night of Museums,” held every May. The number of daily visitors to museums triples on that day, when a building that was once just a pretty decoration on the way to work or to school opens its doors and becomes a “real” place.
Of the 96 sites where events were held, Petrikirche had the 4th most visitors; the line to get in stretched out for 12 minutes. Even while waiting, though, people in line were not bored – there was a program for them, too. Once inside, the whole building was used in interesting ways. There were excursions that acquainted visitors with the most important moments in the history of the cathedral...but it wasn't only people who did the story telling; this was done, in part, by the spaces themselves. The top floor of the church was open for visitors who could listen to organ and classical music and see a video installation projected on to the floor of the sanctuary (until 6 am)! The first floor had exhibits about the history of Germans in the city; in addition there were master classes in making Koenigsberg marzipan in the cafe. In the lower floor of the cathedral (in the part of the church known as the “catacombs”), there was an exhibit entitled “Leningrad Germans. Before and After.” Here flashes of light on the old floor of the swimming pool reminded visitors of flashes of bullets... The light show was accompanied by experimental electronic music which not only gave a different perspective on the church but also fit into the theme of the “Night of Museums” for 2014 - “Light and Color.”
Thanks to the help of volunteers and sponsors many people (9266 of them, in fact!) came into the church that night and were given a chance to think about the church in a new way.
It has already become a tradition that the staff of the “German-Russian Meeting Center” and congregational members of St. Paul's and Anna's Lutheran Church organize a program of events in Petrikirche on the city-wide “Night of Museums,” held every May. The number of daily visitors to museums triples on that day, when a building that was once just a pretty decoration on the way to work or to school opens its doors and becomes a “real” place.
Of the 96 sites where events were held, Petrikirche had the 4th most visitors; the line to get in stretched out for 12 minutes. Even while waiting, though, people in line were not bored – there was a program for them, too. Once inside, the whole building was used in interesting ways. There were excursions that acquainted visitors with the most important moments in the history of the cathedral...but it wasn't only people who did the story telling; this was done, in part, by the spaces themselves. The top floor of the church was open for visitors who could listen to organ and classical music and see a video installation projected on to the floor of the sanctuary (until 6 am)! The first floor had exhibits about the history of Germans in the city; in addition there were master classes in making Koenigsberg marzipan in the cafe. In the lower floor of the cathedral (in the part of the church known as the “catacombs”), there was an exhibit entitled “Leningrad Germans. Before and After.” Here flashes of light on the old floor of the swimming pool reminded visitors of flashes of bullets... The light show was accompanied by experimental electronic music which not only gave a different perspective on the church but also fit into the theme of the “Night of Museums” for 2014 - “Light and Color.”
Thanks to the help of volunteers and sponsors many people (9266 of them, in fact!) came into the church that night and were given a chance to think about the church in a new way.
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