The leadership shift at the Shchusev Architecture Museum in Moscow centers on Natalya Shashkova as a prospective director who has earned broad respect for her work in Russian museums. The nomination for this role came from Elizaveta Likhacheva, the newly appointed director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, a former holder of that same post. “This is my colleague, and I asked to appoint her to the post because Natalya Olegovna is, first of all, an extraordinary museum worker”, Likhacheva explained, underscoring the professional admiration she holds for Shashkova.
The museum community is watching closely to see how Shashkova will shape the institution’s future. Likhacheva expressed strong confidence that the staff and the overall team will be retained, emphasizing continuity as a key goal. “I have spent 17 years at this museum, and it matters deeply to me that the museum continues to evolve and that everything proceeds as planned. Natalya Olegovna is an ideal candidate for the directorship of the Museum of Architecture”, she noted, highlighting both loyalty to the institution and a clear vision for its trajectory.
Natalya Shashkova is a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of Culture, earning a degree in Cultural Studies in 2001. Since 2017, she has been a fixture at the Shchusev Architecture Museum, serving as deputy director for accounting and storage and, in recent years, acting as the museum’s leading curator. Her long tenure and elevated responsibilities reflect a deep familiarity with the museum’s collections, archives, and daily operations, positioning her to steward the institution through a period of growth and public engagement.
Marina Loshak, who previously directed the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, has spoken about how the institution views its new leadership. Her remarks offer a broader perspective on the governance and cultural direction that the new director is expected to bring to the organization, aligning with the museum’s ongoing mission to preserve architectural heritage while expanding opportunities for researchers, visitors, and the wider cultural community.