Results ofthe annual museum professionals’ Contest First Publication: Museum Rarities 2008were announced atthe Tretyakov Gallery. This project was initiated bythe Publishing Program of the Interros and the Vladimir Potanin Charity Foundation in2007.

The Program isaimed atpresenting tothe Russian readers the unknown orthe less explored collections, which constitute the important part ofthe cultural capital ofRussia and the basis for formulating and reinforcing the cultural identity ofour contemporaries.

The First Publication: Museum Rarities Contest 2008received awide acclaim inthe museum community. More than 60Russian museums and different museum organizations participated inthe Contest with their most valuable and non-publicized collections from their funds. Almost 80entries were evaluated bythe expert sessions oftheFirst Publication Contest.

And the winners ofthe Contest 2008are:

Yaroslav State Historic, Architecture and Art Museum Reserve for their collection ofengraved Cyrillic books dating back toXVI-XIX centuries.

State Literature Museum (Moscow) for the collection ofpersonal belongings ofRussian poets and book writers ofXVIII-XX centuries.

Kenozersky National Park (Archangels Region) for the collection ofHeaven paintings from chapels and cathedrals ofXVIII-XIX centuries.

State Tretyakov Gallery for the archives ofthe artistM.F. Larionov, which includes the materials for the unpublished book onthe Russian Theatric Seasons byS.P. Dyagilev.

Winners oftheFirst Publication 2007are available at: http://archive.interros.rueng/news/1-1/877-2007-12-11.html