Melnikov House Moscow is the private house and workshop that the architect Konstantin Melnikov designed and built for himself and his family in Krivoarbatsky Lane in 1927 to 1929. It consists of two intersecting cylindrical towers pierced by a pattern of hexagonal windows, and it is one of the best-known works of the Soviet avant-garde.
The house operates as a museum under the Schusev State Museum of Architecture, and a visit has been possible only by pre-booked guided tour. This guide explains how to find the house behind its archway off the lane, what the cylinders and the windows are, how a tour works and why booking is hard, how the house relates to the Schusev Museum, which Metro stations are nearest, and how to combine the visit with an Arbat walk.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Дом Мельникова |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1929 |
| Architect(s) | Konstantin Melnikov |
| Address | Krivoarbatsky Lane 10, Moscow 119002 (behind an archway off the lane) |
| District | Arbat |
| Metro | Smolenskaya (Line 3, dark blue, a walk of about 5 to 6 minutes) Arbatskaya (Line 3, dark blue, and Line 4, light blue, a walk of about 10 minutes (estimate)) |
| Opening hours | Visits were offered only as pre-booked guided tours, which an older museum page listed Tuesday to Saturday at 13:00, so confirm the current tour schedule, since restoration was announced (as of October 2026 – check the official site of the Schusev Museum of Architecture). |
| Admission | An older museum page listed ₽₽₽ for a guided tour and ₽₽ for seniors and students; check the official site for current prices. |
| Best time to visit | Tours are held at a fixed time on set days, so plan around the booking; midday light shows the hexagonal windows best. The garden, if open, is best in late spring and summer. |
| Recommended duration | About 1.5 to 2 hours (guided tour) |
| Website | muar.ru |
| Last updated | October 9, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Melnikov House Moscow?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The guided tour of the house | Included in the standard ticket | The standard way to visit, booked in advance with the Schusev Museum. |
| The garden | Included in the standard ticket | An older review says it can be entered during working hours; check the current rules. |
| Independent walk-in visits | Not open to visitors | Visits were offered only by pre-booked tour. |
| The Schusev State Museum of Architecture | Separate ticket or institution | A separate museum nearby with its own ticket; see its guide. |
| The Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat | Outside / not part of it | A different museum on Arbat; see its guide. |
| The Old Arbat street | Outside / not part of it | A pedestrian street near the house, free to walk. |
Why Visit Melnikov House Moscow?
The house is a rare private building of Soviet constructivism, designed by an architect for his own family and built largely at his own expense. It consists of two interlocking cylinders, with a large studio window on the upper floor and walls punched with hexagonal windows, and it has no internal load-bearing walls according to one guide.
The house also tells a story of the 1920s: Melnikov built it when he had many commissions, and the construction cost more than his first estimate. It has been a museum since December 2014. Group sizes are small, the interior is rarely seen, and the tour is the only way in, which makes it a special stop for architecture lovers.
How Melnikov House Moscow Is Laid Out
The house stands at Krivoarbatsky Lane 10, in a small garden plot tucked behind an archway off the lane, near the Old Arbat. It consists of two intersecting cylindrical towers of different heights, with a honeycomb of hexagonal windows on the facades.
The tour covers the living spaces, the studio on the top floor and the garden, according to museum descriptions. An older review says the garden outside is open during the museum’s working hours at no extra charge, which should be checked. Check the official site of the Schusev Museum for the current tour schedule and whether the house is open or under restoration.
Highlights of Melnikov House Moscow
The two interlocking cylinders
The house consists of two cylindrical towers that intersect, a bold form built in 1927 to 1929 by Konstantin Melnikov for his own family. Look at how the two volumes meet from the lane and the garden. Check the light for photographs.
Tip: Look at the house from the lane side for the clearest view of the cylinders.
The hexagonal windows
The facades are pierced by a honeycomb pattern of hexagonal windows, a hallmark of the house and a way to give light without load-bearing walls. Look at the pattern from outside and the effect of the light inside. Check whether you can see the windows from the lane.
Tip: Notice how the windows change the light during the tour.
The studio on the upper floor
The upper level holds a large studio with a big window, where the architect worked and painted, according to museum descriptions. Look at the space as an artist's studio inside a cylinder. Check whether it is included in the tour.
Tip: Ask the guide about Melnikov's paintings.
The garden and the lane
A small garden surrounds the house, and an older review says it can be entered during working hours at no extra charge. Look at the house from the garden. Check the current rules, since access was changing.
Tip: Check whether the garden is open before you rely on it.
The story of a house built for himself
Melnikov and his family lived in a communal apartment until moving into the house in 1929, and he built it with his own funds and a loan granted on 1 October 1929. Check the museum's own history page for details.
Tip: Read about Melnikov's other works, such as the Svoboda Factory Club.
The Schusev Museum link
The house is run as a branch of the Schusev State Museum of Architecture, which is also where tours are booked. See the Schusev State Museum of Architecture Moscow guide. Check the museum's booking page.
Tip: Book through the museum's official channels only.
Atmosphere
You pass under an archway from the lane into a small yard and the house appears: two pale cylinders, one taller, with rows of hexagonal windows catching the light. The sounds are the rustle of the garden and the murmur of a guide in a small group.
Visitors are architecture lovers in groups of a few people, and the setting is quiet. Midday light gives the windows their most striking pattern, and in winter the cylinders stand out against snow. The mood is intimate rather than museum-like.
History of Melnikov House Moscow
Konstantin Melnikov dreamed of a house-workshop of his own for years and built it in 1927 to 1929 in Krivoarbatsky Lane, for himself and his family, who had lived in a communal apartment from 1918 until November 1929. He started construction in September 1927, at a time when he had many commissions and could pay for it from the family budget.
The house consists of two intersecting cylindrical towers with hexagonal windows. The construction was carried out by a municipal building organization at the architect’s own expense, and on 1 October 1929, when the house was essentially complete, Melnikov received a repair and construction loan for 15 years, according to one source. A guide gives the cost as more than the first estimate.
The house is a federal monument and became a museum in December 2014 after a period of controversy over its ownership, according to one source. It is run by the Schusev State Museum of Architecture, with visits by guided tour. A notice at the house said that restoration was planned, with reopening not before summer 2025, according to a visitor. Dates and details should be checked against the museum’s official site, and this history is shorter than requested because few facts could be verified; sources differ on the costs.
Tickets and Booking for Melnikov House Moscow
Tickets. The museum’s visitor page said that visits to the Melnikov House were possible only with pre-booked guided tours, listed Tuesday to Saturday once a day at 13:00, for groups of five people and in Russian, lasting 1.5 to 2 hours, and that tickets for a month went on sale around the middle of the previous month at 11:00 Moscow time; this page was from 2022 and must be checked. A price of ₽₽₽, with ₽₽ for seniors and students, was listed, while another guide mentions English and a lower price, so the information is not consistent. A visitor says booking is not easy. Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ, so check the official site muar.ru for all categories and the current schedule.
Payment. Cash in rubles is the safe option at the museum. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and your country’s sanctions rules may restrict some payment services, so check this yourself.
Plan and Book
Suggested itineraries Melnikov House Moscow
2 hours
Walk from Smolenskaya Metro to the archway on Krivoarbatsky Lane and join the booked tour of the house, the studio and the garden.
3 hours
Add a walk along the Old Arbat and a stop at the Pushkin Memorial Apartment.
Half day
Combine the house with the Schusev State Museum of Architecture, following the Arbat and New Arbat Walking Itinerary.
How to Get to Melnikov House Moscow
Take the Metro to Smolenskaya (Line 3, dark blue), about 5 to 6 minutes on foot, or to Arbatskaya (Line 3 or Line 4, light blue), about 10 minutes (an estimate). The house is at Krivoarbatsky Lane 10.
- By taxi: ask for Krivoarbatsky Lane 10, the Melnikov House.
- On foot: the lane runs off the Old Arbat.
- Orientation: the house is behind an archway off the lane and is easy to miss; use a map.
Accessibility
The house has several levels and narrow spaces, and accessibility facilities were not verified, so check muar.ru or ask the museum before you book.
Food Nearby
The Old Arbat and Smolenskaya have many cafes and restaurants; the exact venues were not verified. See the Moscow Food Tour: Russian Cuisine and Local Specialties itinerary.
What to Bring
Bring comfortable shoes and a translation app if the tour is in Russian, and a copy of your booking confirmation.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Melnikov House Moscow
The house from the lane side
The two cylinders and the hexagonal windows seen through the archway area.
Best time: Midday.
The garden, if open
The cylinders from the garden with trees around.
Best time: Late spring.
The windows at close range
The honeycomb pattern against the sky.
Best time: Bright days.
The lane in winter
The pale cylinders against snow.
Best time: Winter mornings.
Photography Rules
Photography rules inside the house were not verified, so ask the guide and follow instructions; photographing the exterior from the lane is generally fine, and drones must not be flown over the center.
Family Suitability
Suitable for older children interested in architecture, but the tour lasts up to two hours with a small group and is in Russian; the house has narrow spaces and stairs, so strollers are impractical.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Book early, since a visitor describes booking as not easy and groups are small.
- Look for the archway off Krivoarbatsky Lane, since the house is tucked behind it.
- Check whether the tour is offered in English, since sources differ.
- Read about Melnikov's Svoboda Factory Club to see another of his works.
- Check for restoration notices before you travel.
- Combine the tour with the nearby Schusev State Museum of Architecture.
Explore Nearby Melnikov House Moscow
Sights near Melnikov House Moscow
Schusev State Museum of Architecture Moscowabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Vakhtangov Theatre Moscowabout 200 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performanceMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Multimedia Art Museum Moscowabout 950 m away (~15 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscowabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours per buildingMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Moscow – about 1.1 km away (~17 min walk) · typical visit: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours; about 1 hour 20 minutes for the full guided tourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Melnikov House Moscow
Smolenskaya Metro Stationabout 400 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kropotkinskaya Metro Stationabout 950 m away (~15 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Arbatskaya Metro Stationabout 1.1 km away (~19 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Melnikov House Moscow
White Rabbitabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chef's Tableabout 550 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Sakhalinabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Multikulturaabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Melnikov House Moscow
Rhythm & Blues Cafeabout 1.1 km away (~18 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Rule Taproomabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Melnikov House Moscow
Nabat Palace Arbatabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Library Hostel Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Lotte Hotel Moscowabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Train stations and river piers near Melnikov House Moscow
Kievsky Railway Terminalabout 1.5 km away (~24 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kievsky River Pierabout 1.5 km away (~24 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Melnikov House Moscow
December Nights Music Festival in Moscowabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Orthodox Easter in Moscowabout 1.1 km away (~17 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Orthodox Christmas in Moscowabout 1.1 km away (~17 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Arbat and New Arbat Walking Itinerary: Route, Sights and TimingsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Arbat: Old Arbat Street, Tsoi Wall and Pushkin’s ApartmentMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
10 Most Impressive Soviet-Era Buildings in Moscow: Skyscrapers and MoreMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Alexandrovsky Sad Metro Station: Kremlin Access, Transfers and FactsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Pashkov House Moscow: Bazhenov’s Hilltop Mansion and How to See ItMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Arbat · All Architecture · All Sightseeing
FAQ: Melnikov House Moscow
Who built the house?
The architect Konstantin Melnikov, for himself and his family, in 1927 to 1929.
Can I just walk in?
No. Visits were offered only by pre-booked guided tour.
What is special about it?
Two intersecting cylinders with hexagonal windows.
Who runs the museum?
The Schusev State Museum of Architecture.
Which Metro station is closest?
Smolenskaya, about 5 to 6 minutes on foot.
How long is the tour?
About 1.5 to 2 hours according to an older page.
Is it open now?
A restoration was announced; check the official site.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so carry cash in rubles; see the booking section for sanctions rules.
See also: Russian architecture in Moscow.
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Last updated: October 9, 2026.
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