Gagarina prospekt, d. 214, Nizhny Novgorod
Tel. +7 831
466-86-23
The A.D. Sakharov House Museum is a memorial museum located in Nizhny Novgorod (formerly Gorky) in the apartment where Academician Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov lived during his exile from 1980 to 1986. The museum is dedicated to the life, scientific work, and human rights work of the eminent physicist and 1975 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Situated on the ground floor of a typical Soviet apartment building, it serves as a reminder of the period of political repression in the USSR.
Andrei Sakharov, known as the "father" of the Soviet hydrogen bomb, became a dissident and critic of the Soviet regime. In 1979, he protested the invasion of Afghanistan, for which he was exiled to the closed city of Gorky without trial. There, he lived under strict KGB surveillance, deprived of contact with colleagues. His exile lasted almost seven years, until 1986, when Mikhail Gorbachev allowed him to return to Moscow. The museum opened in 1991 in the same apartment to preserve the memory of Sakharov and his fight for human rights. The initiative was initiated by local authorities and the Sakharov Foundation. A monument to Sakharov, created by a Nizhny Novgorod sculptor, stands in front of the museum.
The museum is housed in a 12-story red brick residential building, built in 1976 in a typical Soviet style. The building is located in the Shcherbinka neighborhood and is a standard panel apartment of the period, with balconies and simple facades. Sakharov's apartment is a three-room apartment on the ground floor, with a total area of ​​approximately 70 square meters. The architecture is unremarkable, emphasizing the ordinariness of life in exile. The museum has a separate entrance, with a memorial plaque and monument at the entrance.
The apartment's interior has been restored based on memories and
photographs to reflect the atmosphere of the 1980s. The rooms contain
modest furniture: sofas, armchairs, and a desk with the typewriter on
which Sakharov wrote his memoirs and addresses. The walls are covered in
period wallpaper, and the shelves contain books, personal belongings,
and photographs of his family (including his wife, Elena Bonner). The
kitchen and bedroom are also authentic, with appliances from the era.
The exhibition includes documents, letters, and objects illustrating
everyday life in isolation. Location
The museum is located at 214
Gagarin Avenue in the Prioksky District of Nizhny Novgorod, in the
Shcherbinki neighborhood. This area is remote from the city center and
accessible by public transportation (buses and trams). Nearby are
residential neighborhoods, parks, and views of the Oka River. The
location was chosen by the authorities to isolate Sakharov from the
outside world.
The museum hosts exhibitions, lectures, and performances dedicated to Sakharov and human rights, including a one-man show about Elena Bonner. It has become a place of remembrance for the dissident movement. It opened in 1991 with the participation of the Sakharov family. Thousands of tourists interested in Soviet history visit the museum annually. The museum collaborates with the Sakharov Foundation in Moscow.
The museum is open to visitors: weekdays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Friday and Sunday until 4:00 PM, Saturday until 7:00 PM, and closed on Mondays. Admission is charged, and tours are available. This cultural heritage site attracts historians, students, and tourists. Phone: +7 (831) 466-86-23. Official website: sakharovmuseum.ru. Visitors praise the museum's atmosphere and educational value.