into the museum's history and collection. A new philosophy and practices of museum education and services have been emerging. The first large-scale visitor study was conducted. Special attention has been paid to the needs of families, children, and young adults. The museum has introduced inclusive programs and services for people with disabilities, aged visitors, the homeless and visitors with low income, mothers and fathers on parental leave, etc. Collection Since the establishment of the museum, its collection has increased by several times. Today it encompasses the collections of European, Asian and Ancient fine and decorative arts as well as the group of early Byzantine "sinai" icons. European art is represented by notable works of painting, sculpture, graphic and applied arts produced in Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain between the 14th and the 19th centuries. In particular, the museum's collection of paintings includes "Orpheus and Eurydice" by Jacopo da Sellaio, "The God of The Scheldt River, Cybele, and the Goddess of The City of Antwerp" by Peter Paul Rubens, "Still Life with a Chocolate-Grinder" by Juan de Zurbaran, "Burial of A Monk" by Alessandro Magnasco, "Lovers, or Prodigal Son and a Prostitute" by Pierre Louis Goudreaux, "Portrait of Stanislaw August Poniatowski" by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun, along with paintings by artists from the circles of Hieronymus Bosch, the Bellini brothers, Juan Bautista Martinez del Mazo. Among the most valuable works of plastic art are medieval polychrome wood sculptures, original works by Antonio Canova ("Allegory of Peace"), Sarah Bernhardt ("Ophelia"), Nicolas Cordier ("Galatea"). The European graphic art collection includes prints by Albrecht Dürer, Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt van Rijn, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Francisco Goya. The most notable areas of the European applied art collection encompass Italian furniture, the collections of maiolica and porcelain, Limoges enamels and Flemish tapestries. Asian art is represented by the pieces of Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan Buddhist art along with artworks from Islamic regions and countries (Iran, Turkey, Central Asia, and Muslim Spain). The most notable areas of Asian art collection include Chinese paintings, ceramics (grave figurines of the Tang era, stonewares of the Song period as well as various porcelain items), bronze items, examples of lacquerware and stone carving, Japanese woodcut prints (ukiyo-e), tsuba (artfully decorated traditional sword guards) as well as netsuke miniature sculptures. The outstanding works of Islamic arts include Iranian lustre-painted pottery and metalwork, miniature paintings, carpets etc. Tibetan art is represented