For fifteen years, the ROSPHOTO State Museum and Exhibition Center has served as the scientific and methodological center for the Program for the Photographic Documents Preservation, constituting State Collections of the Russian Federation (in accordance with Order No. 226 of December 4, 2008, of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation).

During this time, the Preservation Program has become a significant event in the life of Russian museums, archives, and libraries, and in the work to preserve and utilize the national photographic heritage. In implementing comprehensive measures to ensure the preservation of photographic documents in museums, archives, libraries, and other state collections, in addition to creating a unified system for recording photographic collections and providing methodological support for all activities related to the preservation of photographic collections, the Program also addresses the challenges of training specialists in the storage, conservation, and restoration of photographic collections. Consultations, internships, advanced training courses (license for educational activities No. 03-21-4486/24-0-3, registration No. L035-01271-78/01369775 dated August 30, 2024), seminars, and conferences are held annually. ROSPHOTO's work within the Preservation Program is crucial for educating the museum community on matters of preserving photographic heritage and uniting and collaborating with museums that hold photographic collections.

One of the powerful factors in the society development in modern times has become its visual informatization, closely linked to the development of photography and digital photographic technologies in particular. Visual photographic information, embodying humanity's global experience, not only serves as a material incarnation of historical memory but also forms the basis for society's further economic, intellectual, and spiritual progress.

Preserving photographic collections and solving the accessibility issues for visual information has become a global challenge addressed by all civilized countries and the global community as a whole. The "Guidelines for International Action for the Preservation of Library Materials," adopted at the UNESCO General Conference in 1986, call for the creation of a national program for the preservation of library collections in each country. Such programs are being developed and successfully implemented in the United States, France, Italy, the Netherlands, England, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden.

The museum, library, and archival collections of the Russian Federation contain a vast number of photographic artifacts and documents, including rare and valuable materials dating back to the invention of photography. Until recently, the study and preservation of photographic collections in Russia has received insufficient attention, although, according to rough estimates, photographs constitute approximately one-third of the country's museum collections.

The current state of photographic collections in our country demonstrates that even the most basic needs of institutions storing photographs are not met. Repositories are often located in inadequately equipped facilities, often with inadequate security. The necessary equipment for large-scale conservation of collections, as well as the necessary tools and materials for restoration work, is lacking. There is a severe shortage of qualified specialists—curators and restorers. The regulatory framework, methodological, technical, and technological support for all areas of activity related to the preservation and accessibility of photographic collections must be updated.

Experience has shown that issues related to ensuring the preservation of the national array of photographic documents must be addressed comprehensively, at the national level, within the framework of a unified National Program.

In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Culture (Order No. 226 of 04.12.2008), the State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO has been entrusted with the functions of a scientific and methodological center for the implementation of a program for the preservation of photographic documents included in the state collections of the Russian Federation.

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Program objectives

• bring the issue of ensuring the safety of photographic collections of museums, libraries and archives to the state level, draw the attention of responsible officials of the legislative and executive authorities to its solution, and give it the status of a national policy;
• coordinate the actions of institutions and individuals in collecting, recording, preserving and using photographic collections;
• concentrate financial and human resources for the most effective preservation of Russia’s photographic collections and the creation of the necessary basic conditions for the development of this area of ​​activity;
• promote the involvement of the country's scientific and industrial-technical potential in solving the problems of preserving the national cultural and information heritage.

The program is developed to solve the following problems:

• Ensuring regulatory conditions for the storage of photographic collections;
• Organizing a comprehensive security system for the country's photographic collections;
• Implementing a targeted policy for the preservation of photographic collections during their use;
• Creating a unified national system for recording photographic collections in Russia;
• Creating a regulatory framework and methodological support for all areas of museum, archival, and library activities related to the preservation of photographic collections;
• Providing technical support for the program, introducing the latest technology and techniques into processes for working with photographic collections;
• Creating a specialized education system that provides for the training and retraining of qualified personnel, curators, and restorers in secondary and higher educational institutions. Providing museums, libraries, and archives with the appropriate staffing capabilities and qualified specialists;
• Shaping public opinion on the issues of preserving photographic collections.

Overall coordination of the Program is carried out by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSPHOTO. Interdepartmental consultation is provided by the Expert Council on the Preservation of Photographic Collections under the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

Currently, ROSPHOTO is implementing the Program in the following areas:

• Currently, ROSPHOTO is implementing the Program in the following areas:
• Monitoring state collections of the Russian Federation, on-site consultations at state museums and collections;
• Research activities for the preparation of the Register of Particularly Valuable Storage Objects of the Russian Federation's Photographic Collections;
• Practical consultations for specialists in photographic conservation and restoration;
• Publishing and distributing methodological materials for specialists working with photographic collections;
• Scientific technical and technological examination of photographic materials.

Last updated on 18.09.2025