Dostoevsky’s Moscow House Museum Center

It is surprising that the first Dostoevsky Museum, not only in Russia, but in the world, was opened not in St. Petersburg (the most important city for the classical author, where many of his works were conceived and written), but in Moscow. It was established on November 11, 1928, on the birthday of the writer, in a wing of the Mariinsky Hospital for the poor. In the 19th century this wing was intended for various services and government-owned apartments of the hospital employees. Fyodor Dostoevsky’s father was a doctor, and his family occupied several rooms on the first floor of this house. The writer himself lived here between 1823 and 1837 and then moved to St. Petersburg prior to his 16th birthday.

Since then, the rooms have never been rebuilt: the walls, stoves and ceilings remain the same as during the life of Fyodor Dostoevsky. The historical interiors of this apartment were recreated in 1980, based on the memoirs of Dostoevsky’s younger brother Andrei. He left a detailed description of the apartment from his childhood, including drawings and sketches. Among the exhibits are an oval bedside table, a bookcase, portraits of parents and ancestors, bronze candelabra, a sofa purchased by the writer in 1866 during his stay in Moscow, a writing desk from his last apartment, an inkstand, glasses, a Gospel Book presented by the Decembrists’ wives in 1850, calling cards, and a box with cigarette wrappers.

In 2021, after a large-scale restoration the Dostoevsky’s Moscow House Museum Center was opened. The center exhibition is dedicated to the personality of Dostoevsky, his main life events, outstanding fiction, literacy critique, and journalistic works of the writer, the ways his novels and stories are perceived and interpreted in Russia and the world.

Large multimedia installations created specifically for the center will allow the visitors literally entering the world of Dostoevsky’s characters. Raskolnikov’s Illusion, a unique installation by Mikhail Shemyakin is one of the main works. It is a three-dimensional composition with figures of Raskolnikov and the pawnbroker, and enlarged illustrations to the novel Crime and Punishment.

This museum has a remarkable tradition – every visitor leaves a record in a special memorable book, which is carefully kept for years. It contains the names of all and every people who have ever been here.

Photo: mos.ru