Prof. Mikhail Piotrovsky

General Director Of The State Hermitage Museum

Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovskiy was born in Yerevan in 1944.

In 1967 graduated with honors from the Oriental Faculty of Leningrad State University, specializing in Arabic Studies. Underwent a study course at the Cairo University in 1965-1966.

From 1967 to 1991 Mikhail Borisovich worked in the Leningrad branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies, where he obtained his doctorate in history. In 1991 was invited to join the Hermitage staff as the First Deputy Director. In July 1992 he was appointed Director of the Museum by a decree of the Prime Minister.

He is an author of more than 250 works including catalogues of Arabic manuscripts, publications of Medieval monuments and ancient inscriptions, works on Islamic political history and Arabic culture, archeology of Arabia.

Dr. Piotrovskiy is Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Russian Academy of Arts. A member of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Culture and Art (in 2001 – 2011 was a Deputy Chairman of the Council) and the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Science and Education.

He also is professor of the St. Petersburg State University, were he chairs two departments - “Museology” and “Ancient Orient History”, a Dean of Oriental faculty.

President of the Union of Museums of Russia, editor-in-chief of The Christian Orient magazine, the chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of the Imperial Russian Orthodox Palestine Society.

In 1997 a minor planet was named “Piotrovsky” by the Astronomical Union in joint honor of Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovskiy and his father Boris Borisovich Piotrovskiy.

In May, 2011 Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovskiy was awarded the title of Honored Citizen of Saint Petersburg.