The Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow occupies the second floor of a two-storey house at Arbat 53, where the poet Alexander Pushkin lived with his young wife Natalia Goncharova from February to mid-May 1831. It opened as a museum branch in 1986, on the 155th anniversary of the wedding, and it is the only surviving Moscow residence directly tied to the poet.
The museum is small and sits on the pedestrian Arbat, a few minutes from Smolenskaya Metro. This guide explains how to find the pale building and its plaque, what the apartment and the exhibition on Pushkin and Moscow show, how it differs from the main Pushkin State Museum on Prechistenka and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, how the neighboring Andrey Bely apartment relates to it, which hours and prices are listed, and how to combine the visit with an Arbat walk.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Мемориальная квартира А. С. Пушкина на Арбате |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1986 |
| Address | Arbat Street 53, Moscow 119002 |
| District | Arbat |
| Metro | Smolenskaya (Line 3, dark blue, about 190 meters, a walk of about 5 minutes) Arbatskaya (Line 3, dark blue, and Line 4, light blue, named as a nearby station; a walk of about 10 minutes (estimate)) |
| Opening hours | Listings give the apartment as open 10:00 to 18:00 with Thursday from 12:00 to 21:00 and Monday, Tuesday and the last Friday of the month closed, while others show Wednesday to Sunday only, so confirm the current hours on the official site of the Pushkin State Museum (as of October 2026 – check the official site). |
| Admission | A travel listing gives a budget-priced full ticket (₽) and a moderately priced guided tour ticket (₽₽), and an older guide says entry is free on the third Sunday of the month; check the official site for current prices. |
| Best time to visit | Weekday mornings are the quietest, and weekends are busier on the street outside. The museum is small and suits a rainy or winter day; see the Moscow in the Rain: Indoor Sightseeing Itinerary. Confirm the hours, which differ between listings. |
| Recommended duration | About 1 hour |
| Website | pushkinmuseum.ru |
| Last updated | October 9, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The memorial apartment and the exhibition Pushkin and Moscow | Included in the standard ticket | Covered by the standard ticket; tours usually last about an hour. |
| Guided tours | Separate ticket or institution | A travel listing mentions a higher guided-tour ticket; check the official site. |
| The Andrey Bely Memorial Apartment | Separate ticket or institution | Another branch of the Pushkin State Museum on the same street with its own ticket. |
| The main Pushkin State Museum on Prechistenka | Outside / not part of it | A different branch in another part of the center. |
| The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts | Outside / not part of it | A separate art museum on Volkhonka, not related to the poet. |
| The Pushkin and Goncharova monument | Outside / not part of it | A bronze statue across the street, free to see. |
Why Visit Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow?
This is the one Moscow address where Pushkin lived as a newly married man, and it puts the poet’s brief Moscow period in a domestic setting on one of the city’s oldest streets. The house stands among buildings of the 18th and 19th centuries on Arbat, and a bronze plaque records that he lived here from early February to mid-May 1831.
The first floor hosts an exhibition called Pushkin and Moscow, with engravings, watercolors and objects depicting life in the 19th-century capital, according to a guide. The museum is compact, so it suits a short stop, and a bronze monument to Pushkin and Goncharova stands opposite on the street. A guided visit adds stories about the interiors.
How Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow Is Laid Out
The apartment is on the second floor of a building at Arbat 53, in a house that belonged to the Khitrovo family and dates from the mid-18th century with repeated rebuilding. A plaque on the facade records Pushkin’s stay.
The first floor is used for the exhibition Pushkin and Moscow, and the memorial rooms are above, according to guides. A neighboring memorial apartment of the poet Andrey Bely is also a branch of the Pushkin State Museum and is a separate visit. A bronze statue of Pushkin and Goncharova stands across the street. Check the official site for which floor is open and the current entrance.
Highlights of Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
The honeymoon apartment
Pushkin rented the second floor in 1831, after his wedding on 18 February, and lived here with Natalia Goncharova until mid-May, when they moved to Saint Petersburg. It is the only surviving Moscow residence directly linked to him. Look for the period rooms and furniture. Check which rooms are open on your day.
Tip: Read about the wedding and the move to Saint Petersburg before you go.
The exhibition Pushkin and Moscow
The first floor holds an exhibition of engravings, watercolors and historical objects showing Moscow in Pushkin's time, according to a guide. It shows the city he knew and the society that disliked the couple. Look at the views of old Moscow. Check whether English labels are available.
Tip: Use the engravings to picture Arbat before you walk back outside.
The memorial plaque
A bronze plaque on the facade records that Pushkin lived here from early February to mid-May 1831, placed in 1937 for the 100th anniversary of his death. The museum itself opened in 1986. Look for the plaque next to the door. Check the lighting for photographs.
Tip: Photograph the plaque from the left side to avoid reflections.
The Pushkin and Goncharova monument
A bronze statue of Pushkin and his wife Natalia Goncharova stands directly across the street from the apartment, and the couple married in the nearby Grand Ascension Church. It is a popular photograph on Arbat and is free. Check the crowds on weekends.
Tip: Visit the monument in the morning when the street is quiet.
The Khitrovo house on Arbat
The apartment is in a house of the Khitrovo family on one of Moscow's oldest streets, dating from the mid-18th century and rebuilt several times. It is an example of the aristocratic Arbat of the 19th century. Look at the facade from the pavement. Check the opening time.
Tip: Look at the upper windows to see which floor the poet rented.
The Andrey Bely apartment next door
The memorial apartment of the poet Andrey Bely, another branch of the Pushkin State Museum, is on the same street and is a separate visit with its own hours. Check its program and ticket.
Tip: Check whether a combined ticket is offered.
Atmosphere
From the loud pedestrian Arbat, with its buskers, souvenir stalls and portrait painters, you step through a modest door into a quiet, low-lit apartment. The rooms are small, with period furniture, engravings and a creaking staircase, and the sounds fall to footsteps and hushed voices.
Visitors are readers of Pushkin, school groups and tourists dropping in from the street, and the museum is rarely crowded. Thursday evenings, when it stays open later, have a calmer feel. Outside, the monument draws photographers all day.
History of Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
The house at Arbat 53 belonged to the Khitrovo family and dates from the middle of the 18th century, and it has been rebuilt repeatedly since. In 1831 Alexander Pushkin rented the second floor for the first months of his marriage to Natalia Goncharova; the couple married on 18 February 1831 in the nearby Grand Ascension Church, and he is said to have held his bachelor party in the apartment.
In mid-May 1831 Pushkin left the apartment and moved with his wife to Saint Petersburg, trying to escape the unfriendly Moscow high society. In February 1937, for the 100th anniversary of his death, the house received a memorial plaque, and in 1986 the Pushkin Memorial Apartment museum opened on the 155th anniversary of the wedding as a branch of the Pushkin State Museum.
The first floor now holds the exhibition Pushkin and Moscow, with engravings, watercolors and historical artifacts. A bronze monument to Pushkin and Goncharova stands opposite. 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; one guide gives the wedding as 18 November, but most sources give 18 February.
Tickets and Booking for Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Tickets. Tickets are sold at the museum’s ticket office, and a travel listing gives a budget-priced full ticket (₽) and a moderately priced guided tour (₽₽), which should be confirmed because the official price list was not read; an older guide says entry is free on the third Sunday of the month, and online sales may be offered, though no booking window was verified. Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ, so check the official site pushkinmuseum.ru for all categories and the current hours.
Payment. Cash in rubles is the safe option at the ticket office. 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 for Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
1 hour
Look at the plaque and the monument, see the exhibition on the first floor and the memorial rooms above, then rejoin the street.
2 hours
Add the Andrey Bely apartment next door and walk the length of Arbat.
Half day
Combine the apartment with the full Arbat walk and the Vakhtangov Theatre, following the Arbat and New Arbat Walking Itinerary.
How to Get to Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Take the Metro to Smolenskaya (Line 3, dark blue), about 190 meters or a 5-minute walk, or to Arbatskaya (Line 3, dark blue, or Line 4, light blue), about 10 minutes along Arbat to number 53.
- By taxi: ask for Arbat 53; taxis stop at the ends of the pedestrian street.
- On foot: the museum is on the western part of the pedestrian Arbat.
- Orientation: look for the pale two-storey house with the plaque, opposite the monument.
Accessibility
The apartment is on an upper floor of a historic house, and accessibility facilities such as lifts and ramps were not verified, so check pushkinmuseum.ru or call the museum before you go.
Food Nearby
Arbat Street and the side streets 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 a translation app for the Russian labels and comfortable shoes for the staircase; cash in rubles helps at the ticket office.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
The Pushkin and Goncharova monument
A bronze statue of the couple in the middle of the pedestrian street.
Best time: Early morning.
The memorial plaque at the door
A bronze plaque on the pale facade recording Pushkin's stay.
Best time: Overcast days.
The house on Arbat
The two-storey facade among shops and cafes.
Best time: Late afternoon.
Arbat Street looking toward Smolenskaya
The pedestrian street with lamps and street musicians.
Best time: Dusk.
Photography Rules
Photography rules were not verified on the official site, so ask staff and follow signs; flash and tripods may be restricted, and drones must not be flown over the center.
Family Suitability
Suitable for older children and teenagers who know Pushkin, with a short visit time; the rooms are small and labels are mostly in Russian. Stroller access was not verified.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Check the hours carefully, since listings differ on Wednesday to Sunday and on the last Friday of the month.
- Do not confuse this apartment with the main Pushkin State Museum on Prechistenka or the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts.
- Read about the 1831 wedding and move to Saint Petersburg before you go.
- Look for the plaque next to the door, since the house is easy to pass on a busy street.
- Combine the apartment with the Andrey Bely apartment next door.
- Visit the monument early, since Arbat fills up by midday.
Explore Nearby Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Sights near Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Vakhtangov Theatre Moscowabout 450 m away (~7 min walk) · typical visit: About 3 hours for a performanceMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Melnikov House Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 to 2 hours (guided tour)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Multimedia Art Museum Moscowabout 1.0 km away (~17 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 1.2 km away (~20 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours per buildingMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Zachatyevsky Convent Moscowabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Moscow – about 1.3 km away (~20 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 Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Smolenskaya Metro Stationabout 200 m away (~3 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kropotkinskaya 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 Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
White Rabbitabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Chef's Tableabout 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Sakhalinabout 350 m away (~6 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Multikulturaabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Rhythm & Blues Cafeabout 1.4 km away (~22 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Rule Taproomabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Arbat House Hotelabout 1.1 km away (~17 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Cheers Arbat Mini-Hotelabout 1.4 km away (~22 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.
Train stations and river piers near Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Kievsky Railway Terminalabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kievsky River Pierabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
December Nights Music Festival in Moscowabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Orthodox Easter in Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~20 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Orthodox Christmas in Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~20 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Related guides
Arbat: Old Arbat Street, Tsoi Wall and Pushkin’s ApartmentMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Arbat and New Arbat Walking Itinerary: Route, Sights and TimingsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow in the Rain: Indoor Sightseeing Itinerary: Dry Stops and ArtMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Miratorg: Supermarkets in Moscow, Hours and What to BuyMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Great Ascension Church Moscow: Pushkin’s Wedding Church and TipsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Browse more: More in Arbat · All Museums · All Sightseeing
FAQ: Pushkin Memorial Apartment on Arbat Moscow
Did Pushkin live here long?
No, only from February to mid-May 1831.
When did it become a museum?
In 1986, on the 155th anniversary of the wedding.
Which Metro station is closest?
Smolenskaya, about 5 minutes on foot.
Is it the same as the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts?
No. That is an art museum on Volkhonka unrelated to the poet.
Is it part of the Pushkin State Museum?
Yes, it is one of its branches.
What is on the first floor?
The exhibition Pushkin and Moscow with engravings and watercolors.
Is there a free day?
An older guide says the third Sunday of the month; confirm on 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.
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Last updated: October 9, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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