The Hermitage Museum, built in 1764 and endowed with more than 3 million works of arts, was Catherine the Great’s most glittering gift to the Russian people. The museum Web site is yet another demonstration of IBM leadership in the Web arena, combined with the translation services provided by the Russian TSC, to bring the landmark cultural institution to a broader public who can experience the masterpieces of the Hermitage collections from anywhere in the world. The Hermitage project began in 1997 with a $2 million grant by IBM that created a virtual museum to showcase its masterpieces. Various functions such as zoom and written narration (in English and Russian) enable viewers to look at the art from different angles and in sharper detail that are sometimes impossible to discern at exhibitions. As the Web site itself, the online shop was developed in English with a particular emphasis on bridging East-West cultural differences thanks to the Russian TSC team and their American reviser. The end result is a virtual boutique brimming with exquisite articles such as the famed Fabergé eggs crafted by Russian artisans and attractively described in English so as to encourage shopping.
