The restoration of «Burmistrova House», a cultural heritage site of regional significance and the building of the Literary Museum in Nizhny Novgorod, is being carried out as part of work to preserve the monument and adapt it to modern use. As of October 7, 2026, the project was 90% complete.[1]

Progress of the Work

By October 2026, the facade work and the landscaping of the courtyard had been completed, heating had been connected, and the original lighting fixtures had been returned to their former places. The building is located on Minin Street; the museum was closed for the restoration in 2019.[2][3] Inside, the restorers were putting on the finishing touches: the parquet floors have been laid and the restoration of the stucco decoration, including elements lost during the Soviet era, has been completed.[1] From the Grabar Restoration Center, nineteenth-century French velvet panels have returned to the walls of the Velvet Hall.[3]

The restoration work produced some unexpected discoveries. In 2020, a major fire broke out in the building, caused by faulty electrical wiring. By the time of the fire, almost the entire exhibition had already been moved to storage in Moscow and was not damaged.[2] While restoring the stucco decoration of the grand halls, the restorers discovered unusual floral compositions: pomegranate flowers and carved acanthus leaves — traditional symbols of life, movement, and growth. During the re-creation of the painted inserts in the White Hall, a fig flower — a symbol of abundance, domestic comfort, and knowledge — was uncovered amid the white marble and gilded stucco decoration.[1]

Plans for Use

Once the restoration is complete, the building will have new floor space, which is intended to be used both for exhibitions and for events. In particular, the plan is to display rare items from the museum's collections in the safe room. In parallel, work lies ahead to return the Literary Museum's main exhibition to the building. In January 2026, the project was estimated to be almost 80% complete, and the Mayor of Nizhny Novgorod, Yuri Shalabaev, stated that the opening of the museum would be a gift to the city for its 805th anniversary.[2][1]

Nizhny Novgorod Region Minister of Culture Natalya Sukhanova reported on the progress of the work in her messenger channel after inspecting the site together with her colleagues.[1]

Sources

  1. Vremya N — Readiness of the Burmistrova House cultural heritage site in Nizhny Novgorod stands at 90%
  2. NN.RU — The building is located on Minin Street; the museum was closed for restoration in 2019.
  3. GTRK "Nizhny Novgorod" (Vesti) — Burmistrova House restored by 90 percent
  4. Newsroom24 — Burmistrova House in Nizhny Novgorod restored by 90% — Society