A new venue for major events: the organizing committee of the “ARCA” exhibition visited Pavilion No. 20 “Forum” at VDNH, which is ready for opening
2026-09-11 12:55
In just a week, the grand opening of Pavilion No. 20 “Forum” – a new large‑scale exhibition space in the very heart of VDNH – will take place. On the eve of the launch, representatives of the organizing committee of the International Exhibition on Architecture, Restoration, Culture and Archaeology “ARKA”, which will be held here on November 18–20, 2026, visited the venue.
The opening of the “Forum” will be a notable event in the development of Moscow’s congress and exhibition infrastructure. Located on Industry Square, the pavilion combines modern architecture, engineering capabilities, and the expressive historical surroundings of VDNH. For “ARCA,” which is dedicated to architecture, restoration, culture, and archaeology, this proximity takes on special significance: it is here that the dialogue about heritage preservation and the development of the urban environment will gain a new space.
The scale of the venue is impressive: the total area of the pavilion is 22,000 m², and the adjacent open area is 18,000 m². The two levels allow for a combination of exhibition formats with a rich business program. The transformable conference hall can accommodate 250 people, and the usable roof area of 1,900 m² offers a panoramic view of Industry Square and the VDNH light‑dynamic fountain.
Behind the architectural appearance lies a solid technical foundation. The height to the engineering structures and equipment reaches 12 meters, the maximum permissible height of the exhibition structure is 6 meters, and the power supply capacity is up to 5 MW. Two mounting gates measuring 6 × 6 meters and a permissible load on the floor of the first floor of up to 5 tons per square meter provide the opportunity to accommodate large‑scale exhibits and complex exhibition structures. The pavilion is equipped with engineering connections on both levels, as well as digital and interactive navigation. More details about the “Forum” pavilion.
The working inspection became part of ARKA’s preparation for holding the exhibition at the new venue. Representatives of the organizing committee, the executive directorate, and partner organizations personally familiarized themselves with the pavilion, its spaces, and infrastructure, which had already been prepared for launch.
The inspection was attended by: • Victoria Grigorieva, Deputy Head of the Department of Congress and Exhibition Activities of JSC “VDNH”; • Dmitry Shapovalov, General Director of the International Congress Center; • Nikolai Bugaev, President of the Neo EXPO‑Art LLC group; • Maxim Bugaev, General Director of LLC “Neo EXPO-Art”; • Anna Danilchenko, General Producer of the business program of the ARKA exhibition; • Anastasia Kornilieva, curator of the exhibition exposition of LLC “Neo EXPO-Art”; • Tatyana Martynova, Editor‑in‑Chief of the “Museum” magazine; • Anfisa Chepeleva, Exhibitor Relations Manager at the ARKA exhibition’s Executive Directorate; • Valentin Konstantinov, Exhibitor Relations Manager at the ARKA exhibition’s Executive Directorate.
For the ARCA exhibition, the new venue opens up broad opportunities: from showcasing modern restoration technologies and materials to organizing professional discussions and presentations. The scale and technical equipment of the new pavilion No. 20 will make it possible to present the industry agenda in a space that reflects the importance of architecture and cultural heritage for the future of cities.
In just a week, Pavilion No. 20 “Forum” will begin its history, and from November 18–20, 2026, it will become the venue for the participants and guests of the International Exhibition “ARCA”.