In other news from Russia, we return to Moscow via Other Russia. Yes, we are ignoring Mr. Putin’s adorable stunt with Siberian Cranes to return to Maxim Gorky’s legacy. No offense to Mr. Putin, of course, as we (for now) also choose to ignore news of an upcoming “Flashmob Kissing City in Gorky Park on September 23” and on that same date:
“…more than 3000 people will take part in a huge pillow fight in Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure! You can bring pillows from home or buy them at the place of the fight for very low prices (from 100 rubles). Except the flashmob “Pillow Fight”, the organizers will hold many interesting competitions for you while DJs will be playing their music all the time.”
That earlier news about Gorky Park reopening mentioned a museum in his honor, so we could not resist investigating. And we found an amazing collection of images (credits for all photos are embedded in the base of the images).
It is difficult to find any information about the museum, which seems not to have its own website, so desk research is limited to some travel magazines and books that cover Moscow, like this one:
The museum is wonderfully unreconstructed: entrance is free, photo permits cost a bargain 100 Roubles, the staff know and love their subject, modernity has no place, the brochure – choose any language – is absurdly cheap and the atmosphere is timeless. But it is also dim and musty. Half the light bulbs are out and the jellyfish is suffocating under a plastic sheet. This is a house that needs to be lived in, not pickled. If you are a Maxim Gorky fan, enjoy your visit (even though he hated living there).
Thanks to Passport Magazine for that information and the quirky museum visitation times:
Ryabushinsky House (Gorky Museum)
6/2 Malaya Nikitskaya Ul., (495) 290-0535
M. Arbatskaya
Open Wednesdays and Fridays, 12:00-19:00
Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, 10:00-17:00
Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and the last Friday of each month
Organikos 