In summer 2025, the Russian Railway Museum once again became an internship site for the “Keepers” student team. Nineteen students from the Emperor Alexander I St. Petersburg State Transport University took on the role of collection-preservation administrators and made a significant contribution to the museum’s work.
The future railway workers approached their mission of preserving historical heritage responsibly. Their duties included monitoring the safety of museum exhibits and working with guests: helping visitors navigate the large grounds, advising them on visitor rules, and explaining what the museum has to offer.
In addition to their daily work, the team members actively participated in key events of the summer season. They represented the museum at VK Fest 2025 in St. Petersburg, introducing festival guests to digital technologies: they helped visitors take a virtual tour of the Imperial Train in VR headsets and explained the rules of the “Classification Yard” interactive game. From mid-August, the “Keepers” joined preparations for the year’s main railway event—the International 1520 “PRO//Motion.Expo” exhibition, held on the museum grounds from August 28 to 31, 2025.
Yevgeny Zheleznyak, the team commander, noted that the students choose the museum because of its unique atmosphere and the opportunity to connect with history. During their internship, the “Keepers” learn to help, advise, and inspire. For another team member, Gleb Sorochko, who is passionate about railway history, the internship became an invaluable source of knowledge. Working at special events was a unique experience that he will remember for a long time. For student Aksana Pavlova, it was important to contribute to preserving cultural heritage and passing that knowledge on to others. One of her most memorable encounters was meeting Yevgenia Globina, a museum-preservation administrator. Her senior colleague shared the personal story of her grandfather, an associate professor in the Water Supply, Sewerage, and Hydraulics department who fought in the battles of the Great Patriotic War. Thanks to this, Aksana and the other “keepers” learned how closely the fates of individuals are connected with the fate of the entire country. The Globin family letters became the basis for the temporary “Roads of Victory” exhibition.
Vladimir Odintsov, Director of the Russian Railway Museum, noted:
“Since 2022, we have overseen our own student team. This project was created for young people who are fascinated by history and want to understand the industry more deeply. At the same time, it helps them develop qualities essential for railway workers: communication skills, resilience, resourcefulness, and creativity.”
