Gorno-Altaisk hosted today the Anokhin National Museum reopening ceremony attended by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Alexander Berdnikov, Head of the Republic of Altai, Chairman of the Altai Government.

The Museum was under reconstruction from 2008 to 2012. Gazprom allocated RUB 697 million for that purpose. Now the Museum fully meets modern requirements for safety and preservation of museum objects. In particular, showcases are made so as to minimize the exhibits exposure to the environment. It is of extreme importance, taking into account that unique paleontological, archeological and ethnographic collections are exhibited in the Museum. Among them are art and craft works, black-letter and manuscript books of the 17th to 20th centuries, documents and photographs on Gorny Altai history, rare minerals, flora and fauna species.

During the reconstruction, the Museum's total area was increased more than twice – from 4 to 8.5 thousand square meters, enabling to display new collections.

“Caring attitude towards history is an essential part of our country's culture regarding either the whole nation, or each of us personally. And our Company, working in almost all parts of Russia, is fully committed to these principles. Respect for local traditions, historical and cultural heritage is a fundamental principle of Gazprom's behavior in Russian regions.

Altai is remarkable among the Russian regions for the antiquity monuments and evidence of our distant ancestors' life situated here. The historical value of those goes far beyond the region and even beyond Russia. It is the world's heritage and we must preserve it.

I am sure that the new, modern Museum will increase the interest in the unique historical heritage of Altai – one of the most interesting corners of our country,” said Alexey Miller.

In addition, a working meeting between Alexey Miller and Alexander Berdnikov was held today. The parties discussed gasification of the Republic of Altai as well as progress in elaborating the program for development of gas supply and gasification up to 2016. Besides, the meeting addressed natural gas use as a motor fuel in the Republic.

Alexey Miller and Alexander Berdnikov visited the first CNG filling station in the Republic constructed by Gazprom.

As part of his business trip to the Republic of Altai, Alexey Miller held a meeting dedicated to the results of design and survey work on the Altai gas pipeline.

Background

AnokhinNational Museum of the Republic of Altai was founded in 1918. Among the core exhibits were paleontological and mineral collections, a scientific library and an archive bought from famous Siberian scientists. A famous researcher of South Siberian nations' traditional culture Andrey Anokhin (1869–1931) was one of the first founders and directors of the Museum. The Museum was named after him in 1989. The Museum holds some 60 thousand objects.

On August 15, 2012 Gazprom opened near Gorno-Altaisk the first compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station in the Republic of Altai. The CNG filling station capacity is 250 fillings per day and the projected throughput is more than 6 million cubic meters per year.

The Altai project envisages construction of a pipeline for natural gas supplies from the Western Siberian fields to China across the western part of the Russian-Chinese border. The gas pipeline route is to cross six Russian constituents: the Republic of Altai, the Altai Territory, the Novosibirsk Region, the Tomsk Region, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area and the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Area – Yugra.

The Altai gas pipeline construction will start only when a gas purchase and sale agreement is concluded with China.