An unexpected and unpleasant incident, a gross violation of museum rules, occurred on the afternoon of May 17, 2026, at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. A man entered the Hermitage’s Great Throne Room, stepped over the rope barrier, and sat on the throne of the Emperor of the Russian Empire.
Sitting on the throne, he read out his address. The address had been prepared in advance and printed on paper.
When a museum employee attempted to call the offender to order, he pulled out a knife. Rosgvardia and museum security officers arrived and detained the offender. It is reported that the man attempted to resist during his arrest.
Who is this troublemaker, and what did he want to say? According to preliminary information, the strange offender is a businessman from the Leningrad Region. It appears that his business is not doing well, and this likely prompted him to act this way. He probably wanted to be heard.
Photo: The Emperor’s throne in the Hermitage Museum.
A similar incident occurred at the Hermitage in March 2025. A museum visitor sat on the throne of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta. The court ordered the visitor to pay over 800,000 rubles in damages to the museum.
Friends! Let’s treat the museum’s exhibits and everything around us with care.