Modern museum: from enlightenment to an educational activity

In the article results of theoretic-empirical research lasted more than forty years in «Isaakievsky cathedral» museum are generalized. The XXI century museum is not only a storage of objects of history and culture, but also a center of cultural life of the society, influencing constructively on its development. The modern museum shouldn t be limited to enlightening its visitors, but is capable to create a system of educational activity, to involve various groups of people in the world of culture and socio-cultural creativity.