Bulgakov Museum "Bad apartment"

The reputation of “bad” Moscow apartment located at Bolshaya Sadovaya, 302-bis, apt. No. 50, acquired after it, according to the plot of Bulgakov's novel “Master and Margarita” the “ball of Satan” took place. The prototype of the odious apartment from the novel was a real communal housing at a similar address, in which the writer lived for three years.

The Bulgakov Museum was opened in 2007 and became the first museum in Russia dedicated to the life and work of the famous writer.

The story of “bad apartment”

Apartment 50 was indeed a demonic place. Several of its inhabitants mysteriously disappeared, and one of the gloomy inhabitants inspired the writer to create the image of Annushka, who gave a sign to all the events of the novel by spilling oil.

There is a version that “Satan's Ball” was written off from the orgies, which were arranged by one of the heads of the state security organs. Bulgakov himself had a low opinion of the apartment and called it “a vile room of a vile house”.

House-museum today

Today, the Bulgakov Museum offers group and individual thematic tours. They introduce visitors to the features of the communal life of the past era, and also talk about the work of Mikhail Bulgakov.

Among the exhibits there are both the personal belongings of the writer and objects that convey the atmosphere of the times when the events of the famous novel took place. The main part of the museum's collections was donated by the writer's friends and relatives.

The museum begins in the Dressing Room, where suitcases, bags, hats and umbrellas are stored. Then visitors move to the Blue Room, where the furniture of those times is presented. In Bulgakov's room, you can get acquainted with his library and even play an old piano.

The most interesting room of the museum is the Kitchen. It imitates communal life, among the antiques is a primus stove, buffet, furniture.
In one of the rooms, the atmosphere of the editorial office of the Gudok newspaper, where the writer worked, was recreated.

Today, in addition to excursions, the museum hosts themed evenings,  lectures and concerts. An expansion is planned for holding cultural events.

Museum staff assures that any wish made on the territory of the former “bad apartment” will come true.

The most convenient way to get to the Bulgakov Museum is by metro: from the stations “Mayakovskaya”, “Pushkinskaya”, “Chekhovskaya”.