Museums have been an integral part of UNESCO's programmes since its constitution, as centres for conservation, study and reflection on world's heritage and culture.

The UNESCO Office in Moscow develops and implements activities aimed at strengthening professional networks and partnerships between museums of the cluster countries by:

• Introducing new ICTs in the museum sphere

• Conducting training aimed at enhancing the knowledge and competencies of museum personnel in the sphere of museum management

With a view to develop the museum sphere in cluster countries, the UNESCO Office in Moscow has implemented a number of joint projects:

• The UNESCO/ICOM Project “Strengthening the Social and Educational Roles of Museums as Vectors for Intercultural Dialogue and Enhancing their Links with the UNESCO Conventions in the field of culture” (2014-2015) was implemented by the UNESCO Moscow Office in partnership with the ICOM Russia in accordance with the main lines of action within the UNESCO Strategic objectives in the sphere of culture, as well as with the recommendations prepared during the trainings and expert meetings within the UNESCO/IFESCCO project “Running a Museum – XXI century”. In the framework of the Project, the Regional Expert Meeting for Museum Specialists of the CIS countries was held on 8-11 November 2014 (Moscow and Rostov the Great), and, on the basis of its results and following thematic studies, three Policy Briefs devoted to the potential of museums in promoting the principles of the UNESCO Conventions 1972, 2003 and 2005 have been prepared.

• The UNESCO/IFFESCO Pilot Project “Running a Museum 21st Century” was designed and implemented within the frame of the Agreement between UNESCO and the Intergovernmental Foundation for Educational, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation (IFESCCO) on  Cooperation in the Field of Museum Development in the CIS countries. The project aimed to strengthen social, economic and educational roles of museums for sustainable development and to increase capacity of museum professionals in the CIS countries.
  
  
• The project “A Russian Museum: The Virtual Branch” was initiated by the State Russian Museum in cooperation with the UNESCO Moscow Office and aims to develop a network of the informational and educational  museum centres with the use of new ICTs in the cluster countries. The project promotes a complex development of the museums and educational institutions and their integration into the common cultural space. In 2008 with the support of the UNESCO Moscow Office the Center for Information and Education “The Russian Museum: the Virtual Branch” was opened in Baku (Azerbaijan): http://www.museumcenter.az/static/17/lang.en
  
  
• A project called “Hermitage/UNESCO Project” was launched in 1993 as a joined initiative of the State Hermitage Museum and UNESCO. The project is aimed at introducing and supporting the innovative approaches in the work of the State Hermitage Museum, thus bringing it into accordance with the highest world museum standards. The First phase of the project included conduction of the annual meetings of the International Consultative Council of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. In its second phase, the focus is on sharing the experience with the museums in CIS countries.