MAXimally Cultural: Russia’s New Messenger Now Lets You Buy Theater and Museum Tickets

Services Built for Convenience

Russia’s MAX messenger is rapidly evolving into a multifunctional platform handling communication, calls, identity verification and even public‑service tools. In its first year, the app surpassed 50 million installs. Developers continue expanding its capabilities, and now users can buy tickets to cultural events directly through MAX.

The feature is powered by the mini‑app ‘Gosuslugi Culture,’ developed jointly by MAX, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Digital Development. Users simply open the mini‑app inside MAX, choose an event and purchase tickets on the spot.

Security and Wide Reach

The new solution addresses several challenges at once. First, security: MAX protects transactions and payments, minimizing the risk of phishing ticket scams. Second, it centralizes event discovery — no more navigating dozens of theater and museum websites. Third, it attracts broader audiences, especially young users accustomed to fast digital formats. Buying a ticket in two taps is far more appealing than visiting a box office.

Developers plan to expand the list of available venues and events, including offerings from smaller towns. This effectively builds a unified national cultural digital space — a virtual ecosystem where users can solve many everyday tasks.

“The MAX service is not just an analogue of foreign apps — it is a tool that supports tasks at every level of public administration: digital‑signature document workflows, identity verification for benefits, interaction with public services and even hotel check‑ins without traditional paper documents.”

Aleksey Govyrin

Member of the State Duma

World‑Class Technology

For the government, the service boosts cultural engagement and broadens access to information. MAX enables fast discovery, intuitive browsing and wide promotion of events.

From an economic standpoint, the project showcases the strength of Russian development teams. In just a few months, they built an innovative, high‑demand product for millions of users. There are very few global analogues — perhaps only China’s WeChat combines messaging with ticketing, mobility, retail and other lifestyle services.

Although large‑scale global expansion is unlikely for now, the concept strongly resonates with modern digital expectations. And MAX is already popular beyond Russia: users in Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan actively use the service, with the geographic footprint expected to expand.

Buying Not Just Tickets, but Experiences

Inside Russia, the potential for integration is enormous. Already linked with Gosuslugi, MAX functions as a digital ID, an educational tool and even a regional MFC chatbot. Future development may include more secure financial operations — such as transportation ticketing — and deeper integration with social networks and business platforms.

Critically, the entire system is built on Russian technologies, supporting the country’s strategic push for digital independence. Russia has declared technological leadership a national priority, and nine federal projects are dedicated to strengthening domestic IT.

The new MAX feature reflects a broader cultural shift: creativity itself is becoming digital. VR and AI are transforming exhibitions, performances, music and film. Ticket purchases through MAX are a natural continuation of this evolution. In the future, users may see a full event‑booking ecosystem with in‑chat payments, QR‑code generation, travel‑service integration and loyalty rewards.