Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940) was a writer, a dramaturge, a theatre director and an actor. He is the author of numerous novels, satirical articles, stage plays, shows, movie scripts, opera libretto. Bulgakov also had a medical practice. The main Mikhail Bulgakov`s works include such novels as “Heart of a Dog”, “A Young Doctor`s Notebook”, “Theatrical Novel”, “The White Guard”, “The Fatal Eggs” and, of course, famous “The Master and Margarita” masterpiece, which spread his fame worldwide.
Nikolay Gordenin, an architect, built the house at 13, Andriyivsky Descent, in 1890. The two-storey building is made of wood covered with brick, and its roof is coated with iron sheets. In 1967, Viktor Nekrasov, Kyiv writer, published an article, in which he mentioned “The White Guard” novel of Mikhail Bulgakov and called the building “Turbiny`s House”, making parallel with the novel`s plot. In such way, the building got its second name. According to “The White Guard” plot, the main characters of the novel, Turbiny family, lived in the building on 13, Andriyivsky Descent.

Life of Mikhail Bulgakov in Kyiv was full of various events. He lived in the house on Andriyivsky Descent for 13 years, from 1906 to 1919. In 1906, the family of Afanasiy Bulgakov, the professor of Kyiv Ecclesiastical Academy and the father of Mikhail Bulgakov, moved to the flat on the second floor. The family occupied seven rooms. In 1909, Mikhail graduated from the First Kyiv Gymnasium and entered the medical faculty of Kyiv University. He studied there for 7 years, and on 31st October 1916 he became a certified doctor. In 1913, he married his first wife Tatiana Lappa. After the beginning of the First World War, Mikhail Bulgakov worked as a doctor in the near-front zone for a few months. In 1917, the young doctor began to take morphine, and this experience influenced some of his literature works. In spring 1918, Bulgakov came back to Kyiv to his house and started his private practice as a venereologist. In September 1921, the writer moved to Moscow.

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In 1986, city government put memorial plate on the Bulgakov`s house. In March 1989, it was decided to establish Mikhail Bulgakov Museum as a part of Kyiv History Museum. In 1991, after the long restoration, the house opened its doors and the unique exhibition was presented to the audience.
The museum is dedicated to the Kyiv period of Bulgakov`s life. The building interior design keeps to the atmosphere of historical period, in which the famous writer was living there. The exhibition consists of numerous old utensils, furniture, musical instruments and other. There are more than 2500 exhibit items, which present a weird combination of artistic fiction and reality. The exhibition includes household items of “The White Guard” characters as well as real possessions of Bulgakov`s family. Visitors can distinguish the items by the color: the items from the novel are all painted white, while Bulgakov`s personal belongings are left in original condition.

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The museum guide tells the story of Bulgakov`s life in Kyiv and shows where in the house the writer has been working on his books. The visitors are offered to take part in interesting projects such as “Tea party on Bulgakov`s veranda”, “Set days at Bulgakovs” (musical evenings held on 13th of each month) and “A Night in the Museum”. There is a monument of Bulgakov in the yard. A metal figure of the writer sits on a bench with his legs crossed. Many tourists like to sit near the sculpture on the bench to take a picture.
Visit Bulgakov`s house to know interesting facts about life and work of the famous writer.
Museum working hours:
10:00-18:00 daily (ticket desk until 17.00). Wednesday is the day off.
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