Organizers Explain Crowds at Art Mir Exhibition

The Art Mir exhibition reopened at the Nizhny Novgorod Fair on January 31. On the first weekend, significant queues formed at the pavilions, with some visitors waiting over an hour.

On social media, guests complained about the entry organization. According to them, only one entrance was available for regular visitors, while the second was reserved for guided tour groups and VIP ticket holders. «Children, disabled, elderly. Everyone mixed together and only one entrance! It»s unthinkable, it«s winter, wind with snow, very cold,» wrote one local resident.

Opinions online were divided. Some, like Lyubov, noted that the queue moved quickly and inside the pavilions the flow control prevented crowding: «We stood for about 30 minutes. Very comfortable. Two hours is enough to see everything.» Others, like Dina, chose to leave without waiting: «It felt like the hungry years queuing for bread. We arrived, saw the line, and left.»

The fair«s press service explained that the initial rush, especially on weekends, happens annually. »We have a certain pavilion capacity. We took into account last year«s experience, when visitors were cramped and couldn»t properly view the exhibits. So this year, we are controlling the flow of visitors to maintain guest comfort and meet safety requirements,« the organizers reported.

The situation is exacerbated by people starting to gather at the entrance by 10 a.m., even though the exhibition opens at 11:00. To brighten the wait in freezing weather, on weekends the organizers treat those in line to hot tea. Visitors are also advised to come to Art Mir on weekdays to avoid the crush.