The decision to convert the eastern wing of the General Staff Building into a museum of nineteenth- and twentieth-century art to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the institution's founding led to an international architectural competition. St. Petersburg-based Studio 44 won the commission over a field of globally renowned firms. The centerpiece of Studio 44's elegant design scheme, which addresses both the project's cultural significance and the needs of a twenty-first century museum, is an enfilade with hanging gardens that will enthrall visitors from around the world. The scale and dramatic outcome of the new building--the most important new cultural museum in Russia for a generation--is captured in this extensively illustrated publication that will inspire architects, museum visitors, curators, and anyone interested in the next chapter of Russia's rich cultural heritage.