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Bulgakov Museum

09/30/2016

An interesting if eccentric insight into the family life of Kiev's most famous son (the writer Mikhail Bulgakov) as a young boy. Exhibits focus on the White Guard, an autobiographical account of his experiences in Kiev during the Russian civil war, rather than his most famous book and masterpiece, The Master and Margarita.

Mikhail Bulgakov Museum (officially known as Literature-Memorial Museum to Mikhail Bulgakov, commonly called the Bulgakov House) is a museum in Kiev, Ukraine, dedicated to a Kiev-born Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov.

Commenced in February 1989, and opened on May 15, 1991 for the 100th anniversary of the writer's birth, the museum is located at №13 on the Andriyivskyy Descent and contains an exposition of nearly 2500 pieces that include writer's belongings, books, postcards, photos - conveying the life and creativity of Bulgakov and his surroundings. The atmosphere of the house reflects the writer's life - as a secondary school pupil, a medicine student, a family doctor, and a writer—when Bulgakov wrote The White Guard, The Master and Margarita, and Theatre Love Story.

The building itself erected in 1888 and designed by architect N. Gardenin, was thoroughly renovated before the opening of the museum. A memorial plaque with Bulgakov's portrait is now hanging on the front of the building. The White Guard novel makes vivid references to the Andriyivskyy Descent, and the current plaque of the address at №13 displays the street name the writer used in his book (№13 Andreevsky spusk).

The museum staff conducts considerable studies and research, publishes unreleased material, and holds book-club meetings.

The museum of outstanding writer Mikhail Bulgakov is situated in one of the most beautiful streets of Kiev, Andreyevsky Spusk, which was mainly built up at the end of the 19th century. The street is also famous for some older constructions that are considered to be of great historical value. For example, the famous Andreevskaya Church, dating back to the 18th century, is located here as well.

The building number 13 was designed by architect I. I. Gordenin over the century ago. Bulgakov and his parents moved to this house in 1906 and lived there until 1919, when they were forced to leave the city, due to the "time of troubles". Later in this very house the writer settled the main characters of his famous book "Belaya Gvardia", or "White Guard". Several decades later Victor Nekrasov, a well-known literary critic and a writer, published an essay called "At Turbins", devoted to the life and creativity of Mikhail Bulgakov. The name of the essay turned out to be so becoming that the building at 13 Andreyevsky Spusk got the new name and under this name went down in the city folklore. Nowadays the legendary house is one of the most famous landmarks of Andreyevsky Spusk.

The Memorial Museum was founded in 1989 as a branch of the State Museum of Kiev's History. On May 15, 1991, the centenary since the writer's birth, the museum was open to the public. The solemn ceremony of the museum opening was started with the memorial service in Podol Krestovozdvizhenskaya Church, where little Mikhail, who was to become the pride of Russian literature, was christened.

The private collection of Anatoly Petrovich Konchakovsky, the founder and the director of the museum, laid the groundwork for the museum's collection. Many relatives and friends of Mikhail Bulgakov donated priceless heirlooms, writer's personal belongings, books, autographs and original photos to the museum. Thanks to them the museum boasts not typological, but authentic things, preserving the spirit of that time and recreating the atmosphere, in which Mikhail Bulgakov wrote his best books.

The permanent exhibition of the museum is devoted to two families, the Bulgakovs and the Turbins, as well as to the author and his characters. It is important to mention that the design and of interiors and decorations have been carefully recreated according to old photos and drawings.

Admirers of Bulgakov's books and those interested in literature are welcome at Turbins' House daily, except Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter.