Next Stop: Station Kultura

The HSE Run project, well known among HSE students and long operating under the wing of Ingroup StS, has acquired a new name while preserving its long-standing traditions. On May 17, the Station Kultura cultural and historical quest will invite participants on a four-hour journey through Moscow. Teams will follow a chain of ‘stations’ within the Garden Ring, where each stop offers riddles, clues, and opportunities to discover unexplored places in the Russian capital.

An entertainment programme and commemorative prizes from the project’s partners have been prepared for participants at both the opening and closing events. The quest can be completed in either Russian or English. A cycling quest option is also available.

To win, participants must earn points by solving riddles and arriving at encrypted locations.

To take part, competitors must register on the website, form a team of 2–6 people, and send each team member a registration link.

Those without a team can still register and contact the project group on VK (in Russian). The group will help them find and join a team, making it an excellent opportunity to make new friends.

The riddles of Station Kultura are divided into six themed blocks. They can be solved in any order, but completing an entire block awards participants additional points.

The following blocks will be featured in the quest on May 17:

Moscow of Fairs

A block exploring the lively history of old Moscow—a city of fairs and festivities on every street. Participants will embark on an unforgettable journey through the Russian capital’s noisiest locations, from taverns and marketplaces to centres of boisterous celebrations. Discover how joyful and carefree Moscow lived and entertained itself across different historical periods.

The Ring of Moscow’s Coins

This route offers passage into a world where money ruled all, and luxury intertwined with ambition on the streets of Moscow. Follow in the footsteps of merchant dynasties, admire the interiors of historic mansions, and hear the city’s stories in the ringing of coins. Business-minded, industrious, and enterprising, the capital emerges as a historical centre of concentrated wealth.

Moscow on the Move

How did Muscovites travel? Capture the rhythm of metropolitan life and observe how Moscow transformed as it gathered speed. This route is designed for those wishing to trace the dynamics of constant movement and urban change.

Moscow Zoo

It seems predators have appeared in the city’s stone jungle. They are everywhere—gazing from rooftops, façades, decorative mouldings, and monuments, ready to leap from around every corner. Embark on an exciting adventure through Moscow’s hidden zoological spaces, where the diversity of the animal world comes alive. Encounter exotic creatures and discover their stories while observing how animalistic motifs blend into the urban landscape.

Moscow Burned by Fire

Walk through sites connected with the Russia’s fate during the French invasion of 1812. This block reveals the dramatic episodes of the war and demonstrates how they shaped the culture of Moscow through architecture and monuments. The spirit of heroism and resilience that enabled the nation to endure can be felt at every point along the route. This is an opportunity not only to learn history, but to experience it first-hand while standing on ground that rose from the ashes.

Secret Block

The organisers of Station Kultura are deeply devoted to their work and passionately in love with the capital. Members of the quest development team explain what this project means to them.

Alexander Klimov, Project Coordinator

— Station Kultura is like a blank page—an incredible space for creation and self-expression. Through this project, I can share my love for Moscow and its landmarks. Walking through the streets of Moscow, we rarely stop to think about how many historical sites surround us. Our project reveals this other Moscow.

Ekaterina Grigoryeva, PR Manager

— What I love most about Station Kultura are its unique quest riddles. That unforgettable ‘eureka’ moment when the puzzle finally begins to come together, and from a tangled combination of words and pictures you uncover the hidden destination. That is what keeps people returning to the quest year after year, discovering ever more secrets of the city.

Kasinia Lisinskaya, PR Manager

— Station Kultura is about a sense of community and being part of something larger. It appears when you look at the joyful photographs of the project’s guests. When you stand among the crowd at the closing event, surrounded by people eagerly awaiting the results. Or when you photograph yet another participant with the HSE raven mascot. These are the moments you want to remember and believe will happen again many times.

Station Kultura is a unique project for every organiser and participant, offering a chance to rediscover the capital anew. Now is the time to gather a team, join the quest, and embark on an exciting journey through the city’s streets.

The programme begins at 10:30 am at the HSE Media Courtyard at 2/8 Khitrovsky Pereulok, Korpus 5, where guests will enjoy performances by HSE creative groups and festival activities organised by student associations.

At 12 pm, the Station Kultura quest officially begins.

Registration and full details are available via the link.

May 05