Here, on the island of Apothecary- in the house number 2b on Perm (now Graftio) street great singer lived from 1914 to 1922 from here the summer of 1922 he went abroad. Leaving, F. Shalyapin left the apartment and property in the care of his secretary and friend I. Dvorischin, who lived here until his death (he died the winter of 1942). Random call in Leningrad Theatrical Museum saved from imminent death things and the archive of the great artist.
In 1991, Shalyapin Memorial Museum was closed for repairs. Again Shalyapin’s apartment door open to guests in 125 – year anniversary of the birth of the great Russian artist – in February 1998.
Before the visitors appears a world of art and human attachments artist. Restored entrance hall, dining room, bedroom, large and small lounges. Dressing room of artist was recreated at the Mariinsky Theatre. The main stages of the life and works Shalyapin are presented in the exposition hall by letters and photographs, theatrical costume and set designs to performances in which he played – posters and programs, his personal belongings and household items, paintings and drawings.
Special interest are images Shalyapin in life and in the roles created by prominent artists Golovin, Konstantin Korovin, A. Yakovlev. In the museum you can see the famous portrait by Boris Kustodiev (1921) – a kind of pictorial biography of the artist, depicting the way of the singer of fair shows to the best opera houses in the world. Shalyapin loved this portrait and took it with him overseas. In 1968, Martha F. and Marina Fedorovna sent this wonderful masterpiece of painting as a gift to the Theatre Museum. Kept in the museum and the collection of arms – a gift of Gorky.