Published on: 2026-05-27
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The final of the “Moscow Masters” competition in the profession “museum worker – guide” took place at the Museum of Cosmonautics. In the final stage, the participants had to complete four tasks — two homework assignments and two impromptu tasks, the conditions of which they learned on the day of the competition, before going on stage. The jury evaluated their originality and imagination, erudition, unconventionality of solutions, speed of reaction, creative and intellectual potential, as well as emotionality and artistry.
Traditionally, the final of the competition is held by the museum whose employee won last year. In 2025, the best tour guide was an employee of the State Museum of the Defense of Moscow, Dmitry Noskov. This year, the event was organized by the State Museum of the Defense of Moscow at the Cosmonautics Museum site.
“The ‘Moscow Masters’ competition is not only a contest, but also an exchange of experience, professional growth, and inspiration. This year, we have once again united the city’s best tour guides, who with their daily work shape the cultural face of our capital. It is they who reveal the pages of our history to Muscovites and city guests,” noted Elena Serebrova, director of the State Museum of the Defense of Moscow.
The competition is aimed at improving the professional level of participants, identifying talented specialists, and exchanging experience.
How the final went: trials for participants
The homework assignment “I, you, he, she…” is dedicated to the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, so it allowed participants to demonstrate the diversity of cultures and traditions of the country. The contestants told how they get involved in museum collections and exhibitions.
In the task “Expedition,” it was necessary to reveal the importance of replenishing museum collections. Contestants, using a symbolic time machine, traveled into the world of paintings by famous artists of the past with the task of selecting three museum items each and justifying their choice.
At the “Time Capsule” expo, finalists were invited on behalf of their museums to deposit a time capsule message for future generations. Each person had to name an exhibit that, in their opinion, deserved to be placed in the time capsule and explain this choice.
During the testing of “Unexpectedly-Unforeseen,” the responsiveness of tour guides was checked: they simulated emergency situations that could have arisen during a real tour.
Representatives of the capital city were included in the competition commissionDepartment of Culture, professional unions and heads of leading museums. The professional jury determined the winners of 2026. First place was taken by Kirill Akchurin, representing the Moscow State United Museum-Reserve of Art, History-Architecture, and Natural Landscape. Second place was awarded to Georgy Abzianidze (VDNH). Third — to Denial Yurkevich from the K.A. Timiryazev State Biological Museum. The audience choice award went to Ekaterina Mingazova, an employee of the Museum of Cosmonautics.
Certificates were awarded in special nomination categories:
— Ekaterina Dorosh (Moscow Museum) — for academic rigor in the profession;
— Roman Kirpichev (State Museum of A.S. Pushkin) — for loyalty to museum traditions;
— Deniala Yurkevich (State Biological Museum named after K. A. Timiryazev) — a special prize of the competition committee;
— Maksim Olyunin (museum-reserve “Kuzminki-Lyublino”) — for the best impromptu “Time Capsule”;
— Nikolai Postnikov (Borodino Battle Museum-Panorama) — for the best impromptu “Unexpectedly and Unforeseen.”
— Ksenia Mialeva (Ostankino and Kuskovo Museum-Reserve) — in the category “Talent in Improvisation”;
— Georgia Abzianidze (VDNH) — in the nomination “Artistry in Profession”;
— Mariya Seliverstova (Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve) — for creative contribution;
— Nikolay Postnikov (Borodino Battle Museum-Panorama) — in a special nomination of the State Museum of Defense of Moscow “Hero of the Museum Front of the Big City.”
The hosts of the final and the award ceremony were employees of the State Defense Museum of Moscow, Oleg Krzhizhanovsky and Ekaterina Kalugina.
Traditions of “Moscow Masters”
The “Moscow Masters” competition has been held since 1998. Its main goal is to popularize professions that are in demand in the economy, production, education, and culture of the capital.
Since 2001, within the framework of the competition, a contest has been allocated for museum workers — tour guides, with the aim of supporting talented and creative employees, helping them exchange experiences and establish professional connections between the museums of the capital.
For more than 20 years, this competition has been a platform where professional skills, creative approaches, and new methods in excursion work are demonstrated. The competition helps museum workers develop this direction within cultural institutions, enhancing the prestige of the specialty and creating personnel potential in the field.
In 2025, the “Moscow Masters” contest for tour guides took place at the Kolomenskoye museum-reserve.
Step by step to the final
The first stage of the competition was held from March 30 to April 15, 2026, at the museum venues. At least three employees from each institution participated in it. The tasks were developed taking into account the museum’s profile, past experience, and criteria for assessing professionalism. Based on the results of this stage, the management of each institution selected one participant to continue the competition.
The second qualifying stage was held remotely from April 20 to 30. Voting determined the 10 strongest contestants who advanced to the final.
As a result of the preliminary stages, employees of 10 Moscow museums made it to the final:
— Roman Kirpichev (A.S. Pushkin State Museum);
— Kirill Akchurin (Moscow State United Art Historical-Architectural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve);
— Mariya Seliverstova (museum-reserve “Tsaritsyno”);
— Ksenia Mialevskaya (museum-reserve “Ostankino and Kuskovo”);
— Maksim Olyunin (museum-reserve “Kuzminki-Lyublino”);
— Nikolay Postnikov (museum-panorama “Borodino Battle”);
— Georgiy Abzianidze (VDNH);
— Denial Yurkevich (State Biological Museum named after K.A. Timiryazev);
— Ekaterina Dorosh (museum association “Museum of Moscow”);
— Ekaterina Mingazova (Museum of Cosmonautics).
“Moscow Masters”A is an annual city competition of professional skills for those who contribute daily to the development of the capital. Rescuers, engineers, public transport drivers, medical workers, and representatives of other in-demand specialties compete for the title of the best.
The competition is held for the 29th time within the framework of the social partnership system between the Government of Moscow, the Moscow Federation of Trade Unions, and the Moscow Confederation of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (Employers) with the support of the capital’sCommittee on Public Relations and Youth Policy. Detailed information can be found atwebsite.
The organizer of the city professional skills competition “Moscow Masters” for the profession “museum worker – guide” is the Moscow Department of Culture.
The event program in the city museum contributes to the implementation of the goals and objectives of the national project in Moscow“Family”. More about the national projects of Russia and the contribution of the capital can be found atspecial page.
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