Written by Aram Ghoogasian (2024)

INtroduction

The Museum of Literature and Art (Grakanutʻyan ev arvesti tʻangaran) in Yerevan took its current form in 1954 through the consolidation of the already existing literature and theater museums, which were joined by a music archive. The division of the museum’s archives into four sections reflects this provenance. The literary collection contains the archives of just north of five hundred Armenian authors, and the theater collection is nearly as extensive. Trailing further behind are the music and cinema divisions, the latter of which was added in 1977. Among the archive’s holdings are letters, autographs, photographs, personal belongings, and other miscellanea.

The Museum of Literature and Art is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 4pm. 

Location: Google Maps

GOING THERE

The museum is centrally located right on Republic Square next to a metro station. A Yandex taxi is always an option if walking isn’t.

GETTING IN

The museum shares a massive building on Republic Square with the much larger History Museum and National Gallery. The entrance is a nondescript door at the back of the building on Aram Street.

Finding your material

The lists of collections can be found online, and catalogs for each are available in person.

Ordering your material

Once you identify the documents you’d like to read, you have to fill out your order on a slip of paper and return the next day. You’re limited to five documents per day.

Ordering scans

You can order scans for a fee. Prices vary. Photography is allowed, but only with permission and, likewise, for a fee.

Food and well-being

The museum is centrally located, so there’s no shortage of options for food. There’s a bathroom on site should you need one.

ADDITIONAL REMARKS

As of this writing (July 2024), the museum is closed for renovation. The archive remains open, however, and can be accessed through the courtyard on Nalbandyan Street rather than the normal entrance on Aram Street. The museum bears the name of the poet Yeghishe Charents, so be careful not to confuse it with the nearby Yeghishe Charents House-Museum, whose entrance is only about 600 meters away down Aram Street. Seating is limited, but the reading room is rarely at capacity. There’s an AC unit that is occasionally turned on in the summer.