Home Destinations Saint Petersburg The Memorial Museum-Apartment of A.S. Pushkin on the Moika River: How to Get There, History, Photos

The Memorial Museum-Apartment of A.S. Pushkin on the Moika River: How to Get There, History, Photos

It’s hard to find someone in Russia who hasn’t read about the learned cat and the mermaid in chains in their childhood or empathized with Tatiana Larina's feelings for Eugene Onegin in their youth. Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin certainly left a vivid mark on Russian literature and in the hearts of many.

The Memorial Museum-Apartment of A.S. Pushkin
The Memorial Museum-Apartment of A.S. Pushkin
Moika Embankment
Moika Embankment
The staircase leading to Pushkin's apartment
The staircase leading to Pushkin's apartment

In Saint Petersburg, the city where Pushkin met his end, you can find places related to the poet’s life. Located at 12 Moika Embankment, the last apartment where Alexander Sergeyevich lived is now a memorial museum. Visitors can fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the 19th century and learn about the writer's final days.

How to Get There by Metro

The museum is centrally located in Saint Petersburg, just a few minutes' walk from Palace Square. The nearest metro station is "Admiralteyskaya," which is about a 15-minute walk from the museum.

Restoration of the apartment began in 1925
Restoration of the apartment began in 1925
Blue Drawing Room
Blue Drawing Room
Chess table
Chess table

The museum can be visited with either an audio guide or a scheduled tour. It's best to check the tour schedule in advance on the museum's website or by phone. The cost of an adult ticket is 380 rubles (spring 2019).

Tour of Alexander Pushkin's Apartment

Pushkin lived in the house on Moika from September 1836 until his death. It was from here that he went to the fateful duel, and here he was brought back afterward. The Pushkin family rented 11 rooms on the first floor.

Clavichord
Clavichord
The apartment windows overlook the Moyka River
The apartment windows overlook the Moyka River
Antique clock
Antique clock

Over time, the apartment was renovated, and now we see restored interiors. These were created according to a plan by Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky. The exhibition includes both items from the poet’s era and original objects belonging to Alexander Sergeyevich, such as his writing desk and chair.

Items belonging to the poet's family
Items belonging to the poet's family
Natalia Nikolaevna's boudoir
Natalia Nikolaevna's boudoir
The walls feature portraits of Alexander Sergeyevich's wife’s sisters
The walls feature portraits of Alexander Sergeyevich's wife’s sisters

The museum receives many tour groups, with new ones starting every ten minutes, so your time to explore the museum is somewhat limited. However, you are welcome to visit the exhibition multiple times. During the tourist season, there may be long lines to get in, but I visited in early April and did not have to wait.

The guides are knowledgeable and polite, able to engage in conversation or answer any questions. If you have a choice between an audio guide and a live guide, opt for the latter. The tour lasts about 40 minutes.

The nursery
The nursery
Poet's study. The clock shows the time of his death
Poet's study. The clock shows the time of his death
In the study, there is Pushkin's armchair and the sofa on which he died
In the study, there is Pushkin's armchair and the sofa on which he died
The monument to Alexander Sergeyevich in the courtyard of the house
The monument to Alexander Sergeyevich in the courtyard of the house

If you wish to continue exploring the life of the great poet, you can visit the town of Pushkin, where the former Imperial Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where Alexander Sergeyevich was educated, is located.

In summary:

  • The exhibition is extremely popular with tourists;
  • You can "touch history" and see genuine items with over 180 years of history;
  • During the tourist season, getting into the museum may be problematic.
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