MOSCOW, January 12 (Itar-Tass) — Over 650,000 people visited Moscow’s museums free of charge during the New Year holidays from January 2 to January 9, the press service of the Moscow city department of culture said earlier this week.

For the first time in Russia’s museum practice Moscow’s museums organized free admission for visitors during winter holidays.

A total of 56 museums that fall under the department’s jurisdiction joined the action. Museums worked round the week and on Thursday – on January 5 - museums were open until 21:00 within the framework of the Night at the Museum action.

According to the department, “thanks to this initiative museums had seen a significant increase in visitors by three-four times as against last year’s rates.”

Tsaritsyno and Kolomenskoye former royal estates and the Darwin museum top the list of most-attended museums. During this period these museums received 80,000 visitors each.

The department promised that “museums will offer free entry to their visitors every month, every third Sunday.”

Moreover, the department initiated that every Thursday all Moscow city museums will be open until 21:00 (except for estates and preserves).