Brief information about the State Museum of the History of Religion The Museum of the History of Religion is an unique museum in Russia. It was established in 1932. Till the present time the Museum is situated in the Kazan Cathedral, which is an architectural monument of world significance. Now the Museum keeps 180.000 items cults on Russian Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and other religions and beliefs. One can find masterpieses of National and World Culture in the collections of fine arts, icon-painting,engraving, lithography, sculpture, arts and crafts, medals, coins, photos, stamps, etc. The archives of manuscripts and rare books, the unique specialized library on the History and Philosophy of Religion, on the History of World and National Culture contain over 170.000 books and magazines of XV-XX cc. in the languages of various nations of the world. The Museum continually carries out independent and joint ( with another museums ) exhibitions in St. Petersburg and another cities of Russia. Since 1992 the exhibitions have been held in Switzerland, England, Italy, Finland. Now time the Museum elaborates a complex programme of total cataloguing and computering of the funds, intensifies scientific-research activity, realizations Russian and International conferences, enlarges the publucation of scientific, scientific-popular, training-methodical issues, albums, catalogues. An XIX century building is being reconstructed for the Museum and after completion of thous repair in 1996-1998 the 8.000 sq. m. will be used by to the Museum for the needs. The halls of constant exposition, halls of temporary exhibitions, library and reading-halls, cafe, premises for the Board of Directors etc. will occupy this building. By the end of XX century the Museum will be come a leading ( in Russia ) and largest ( in North East Europe ) exhibitional, research and methodical centre on problems of the History and Philosophy of Religion, of the Religious Art, Psychology, Moral etc. It is possible to get more detaild pictoryal information in the informative network Internet: " www. relig-museum.ru " o " www. bestrussia.com ". Your sincerely, Chief of the Department of External Relations and Commercial Activity of SMHR Yan Kucinsky Yan Kucinsky The state museum of the history of religion Kazanskaya pl.2, St.Petersburg Russia, 191186 tel.315-58-32; 312-35-86 E-mail:[log in to unmask]