The Bakhrushinsky Museum on Paveletskaya (GTsTM) is considered one of the largest cultural institutions of its kind in the world. In addition to the main building, it has nine branches, most of which are of great interest in themselves and are visited annually by tens of thousands of tourists from all over Russia and from other countries.
Alexey Alexandrovich Bakhrushin: a brief biographical sketch
The future founder of the GTsTM was born in 1865 in a wealthy merchant family, all of whose members loved and understood art. His grandfather and father were known as generous philanthropists and avid theatergoers. They shared their love of stage art with little Alyosha, who regularly visited the Bolshoi Theater from the age of 6. After graduating from a private gymnasium, A. Bakhrushin joined the family business, but after some time he retired and devoted himself entirely to collecting. The death of his elder brother forced the patron to become the head of the Partnership of Leather and Cloth Manufactory created by his father, and for outstanding achievements in his entrepreneurial activities he repeatedly received high government awards. In parallel with this, Bakhrushin, like other members of his family, was actively involved in charity work and was appointed head of 12 People’s Houses - prototypes of the Soviet-era Culture Houses.
Collecting activities
As already mentioned, Alexey Bakhrushin was interested in theater from a very young age. Initially, he was engaged in collecting “eastern rarities”. However, once in the company of youth, the collector heard from his cousin that he had profitably purchased antique posters and theater souvenirs from antique dealers. This information interested the young entrepreneur, and he began to devote all his free time to collecting personal items and items related to famous actors and actresses. Very soon the collection became so vast that in 1894 Bakhrushin decided to present it to the general public.
Private museum
The new cultural institution dedicated to the history of Russian theater quickly gained fame, and in 1905 even took part in the Berlin exhibition. There the museum was a huge success and received praise in the European press. During this period, Bakhrushin managed to bring to Russia personal belongings of the world famous actress Mars, the rarest musical instruments of the work of ancient masters, as well as a collection of traditional masks of the Italian comedy theater. In 1913, the Bakhrushin Museum was transferred by its founder to the Imperial Academy of Sciences and became known as the Theater and Literature.
History of GTsTM in the Soviet period
After the revolution, the museum was saved. Moreover, at the insistence of V.I. Lenin, A. A. Bakhrushin stood at his helm. Although the philanthropist lost his capital and practically all movable and immovable property, he retained ties with antique dealers and theatrical figures around the world and did a lot so that the process of replenishing the MTCM collection did not stop. In addition, Bakhrushin was able to achieve the transfer to the museum of many valuable exhibits from nationalized private collections. Thus, he made a huge contribution to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Russian Empire for future generations.
After the death of A.A. Bakhrushin in 1929, a close-knit group of like-minded people that he created continued his work, and by 1990, his collection already contained about one million pieces of art, personal belongings of actors, documents, photographs and rare domestic and foreign publications. Despite the fact that the next decade was a rather difficult time, the GTsTM worthily passed all the tests of the post-perestroika period.
Museum today
At the moment, the MTCM has more than 1.5 million exhibits in its collections, including many rarities that are truly unique and have great historical and cultural value. A significant part of them was purchased at auctions held in European capitals, or presented by descendants of famous artists. Thanks to this, the Bakhrushinsky Theater Museum is today considered one of the largest in the world, and the sketches of scenery stored there by famous Russian artists, stage costumes of outstanding actors, their photographs and portraits, rare editions, programs and playbills, and much more attract theater lovers and researchers from different countries.
The collection includes “theatrical” works by Golovin, Bakst, Kustodiev, Yuon, Dobuzhinsky, Korovin, Exter, Roerich, Tatlin, Popova, Rodchenko and other famous masters.
The permanent exhibition of the GTsTM occupies several halls and begins in the lobby - in one of the few rooms where the original interior of the late 19th - early 20th century is preserved. There, in two large windows, objects belonging to the former owners of the mansion, Bakhrushin, are exhibited. Among the most valuable exhibits, a watercolor sketch of the house by architect K. Gippius, photographs by A. A. Bakhrushin, a newspaper clipping with an article dated 1913 on the donation of the Museum of the Imperial Academy of Sciences can be noted. There, in the lobby, you can see the colorful stained glass windows in the Gothic style. Of great interest is a tour of the office of A. A. Bakhrushin, which presents some personal belongings of the patron and his family members.
Bakhrushin Museum: exhibitions and creative evenings
Today, only a small part of the vast collection of GTsM is presented in the permanent exhibition. So that the viewer could get acquainted with other, no less interesting exhibits, the Bakhrushin Museum regularly organizes exhibitions and also takes part in various events organized in other cities of our country and abroad. In particular, on June 12, a project was launched dedicated to theatrical costumes, created from 1990 to the present day, and a few days earlier in the building of the museum depository at 11 Tverskaya Boulevard , p. 2, an exhibition was opened on which evolution could be seen Theatrical poster over the past two centuries.
The most valuable collections
The Bakhrushinsky Museum is proud of its collections of theatrical and decorative art (late 18th - late 20th century) and manuscript materials on the history of Russian theater of the same period. His collections also contain the archives of the Bakhrushins, S. I. Zimin, Kshesinsky, Mamontov, M. I. Petipa, T. L. Shchepkina-Kupernik, Chamber Theater, GOSET and a collection of documents from GosTIM them. Sun Meyerhold.
The museum is always ready to provide all possible assistance to researchers. In particular, those who study the history of art can use the information stored in its funds. To do this, you must write an official letter addressed to the head of the museum and indicate the direction of your searches and their purpose. Also, for a fee, you can order a re-shooting of the museum exhibits.
Branches
The exhibition areas of the Bakhrushin Museum are not limited to the main building, designed by architect Karl Gippius in 1896. As already mentioned, it has nine branches, including the Shchepkin, Ermolova, Ostrovsky house-museums, as well as the Meyerhold apartment houses, the Mironov and Menaker family, Ulanova, Pluchek, etc.
Reviews
The Bakhrushin A. A. Museum is a place that is definitely worth a visit. Numerous reviews confirm this. In particular, those who have already visited the museum note that they were struck by the incredible combination of modern interior and Gothic elements. Visitors were pleased with the way the guides presented information regarding the Bakhrushin family and the history of the Russian theater. Especially a lot of positive reviews can be heard about employees who conduct a program for children, consisting of a guided tour and an interactive presentation.
As for the negative impressions, the most criticism is the hostility of the museum visitors to visitors who make rude comments and rush them, not allowing them to calmly examine the exhibits that are of interest.
Bakhrushin Museum: how to get there
The address of the institution: Moscow, Bakhrushin street, 31/12. The main building is located near the metro station "Paveletskaya", on the ring line, so it can be easily reached from any district of the capital. For example, tram number 39 follows from Leninsky Prospekt, bus number 25 goes from Serpukhovskaya metro station, and bus number 158 goes from Kitay-Gorod station.
Festival
The Bakhrushin Museum, whose photo is presented above, is not limited to a demonstration of rarities. In particular, since 2002, he has been organizing a Charity Festival that has already become traditional. Usually it takes place in the second half of May - in the first week of June in one of the cities, in any way connected with the names of famous Russian philanthropists of past centuries. The purpose of the festival is to revive the traditions of Russian charity, including in the outback.
Opening hours, excursions and ticket prices
The Bakhrushin Museum is open from 12:00 to 19:00 on all days of the week, except Mondays. Closed (sanitary) is the last Friday of each month. In summer, the museum is also closed on Tuesdays.
Free visits are possible on March 18 and 27, as well as April 18, as these dates include the celebration of the Day of Museums, Theater and Monument Protection. The rest of the time, a full entrance ticket costs 200 rubles. There are preferential ones that will cost 100 rubles to schoolchildren and pensioners. To enter the museum you should purchase shoe covers worth 10 rubles. It is possible to order excursions for both large groups and family for 2-5 people.
Now you know what the Bakhrushin Museum is famous for (address: Bakhrushin St., 31/12), what exhibitions are organized there and how to get there from different areas of the capital.