Sergei Parajanov Museum

The Sergei Parajanov Museum is a museum in Yerevan, Armenia, dedicated to the Soviet Armenian film director, screenwriter, and artist Sergei Parajanov (1924-1990). Established in 1988 and opened in 1991, it is one of the most visited and popular museums in the Armenian capital. The museum preserves and displays Parajanov's diverse artistic and literary heritage, including works he created during his imprisonment and periods of unemployment, and has gained international recognition for its unique collection and exhibition program.

The museum's origins trace to 1988, when Zaven Sargsyan, a friend of Parajanov, organized an exhibition of the artist's works at the Museum of Armenian Folk Art in Yerevan. At the opening, Parajanov declared that his art knew no nationality and belonged to all, identifying himself as a person of three homelands: Georgia, where he came of age; Ukraine, which brought him love and worldwide recognition; and Armenia, where his roots were and where he wished to live out his remaining years. Inspired by these words, Sargsyan petitioned the Armenian Government, and within days a decision was passed to grant premises for a house-museum. The Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR allocated two adjacent buildings in the Dzoragyugh ethnographic district: one for the museum and one for Parajanov's residence. Parajanov personally visited both proposed sites, the other being on Abovyan Street, and selected Dzoragyugh. Construction was interrupted by the devastating Armenian earthquake of December 1988 and delayed by subsequent socio-economic difficulties, resuming only in spring 1990. By then Parajanov had been diagnosed with lung cancer, and he died in 1990 before he could occupy the residence. The museum opened in June 1991, one year after his death, with Zaven Sargsyan as founding director. The completion was facilitated by Hambardzum Galstyan, Chair of the Executive Board of the City Council. Since 2016, the museum has been part of the network "Treasures of the European Film Culture."

The museum's collection comprises approximately 1,400 to 1,768 exhibits, depending on the count, including flat and three-dimensional collages, assemblages, drawings, dolls, hats, film sketches, furniture, personal belongings, and other items. A significant portion of the artworks were created during Parajanov's five-year imprisonment and fifteen years of unemployment, representing his distinctive plastic perception of the world. The collection also includes 23 unpublished screenplays and librettos for unrealized productions in cinema, theater, and ballet, as well as an extensive archive of correspondence with cultural figures. The basis of the collection consists of more than 600 artworks, many of which were exhibited at the Museum of Armenian Folk Art in 1988-1989, plus furnishings and personal belongings brought from Parajanov's home in Tbilisi, Georgia on Kote Meskhi 7 at his own request. The museum's exposition follows principles of art and display inspired by Parajanov's own aesthetic, creating a singular museographic experience that reflects his unconventional vision.

Among the museum's notable holdings are two re-created memorial rooms, a bedroom and a dining room, which restore segments of the interior decoration from Parajanov's homes in Tbilisi and Kiev, displaying personal items from his Tbilisi residence. The permanent exhibition is arranged across eight halls: the first hall presents biographical details, family photographs, and early works; the second hall features Parajanov's dolls; the upper floor contains a shining hall devoted mainly to collages; and additional halls present film sketches, stills, objects used in films, and works from his prison years. The collection also includes original posters, festival prizes, and signed letters from Federico Fellini, Andrei Tarkovsky, Mikhail Vartanov, Yuri Nikulin, and Lilya Brik, as well as gifts from visitors such as Tonino Guerra, Vladimir Putin, and Roman Balayan, the latter of whom directed the film "A Night at Parajanov's Museum." The museum's archives hold extensive correspondence and the documentary "Parajanov: The Last Spring" by Mikhail Vartanov, which filmed the exterior and interior of Parajanov's Tbilisi home before items were transferred to Armenia.

The museum is situated in the Dzoragyugh ethnographic district, a picturesque area of Yerevan whose name translates as "Gorge Village." The two-story building was designed by architect Arshak Ghazaryan in the style of traditional Caucasian folk residential architecture, featuring wooden balconies and an inner courtyard. Parajanov had envisioned peacocks roaming the courtyard and guests contemplating their beauty. The structure was developed in the Dzoragyugh ethnographic district restoration workshop, reflecting the traditional architectural character of the area. The building's distinctive design complements the idiosyncratic nature of the collection it houses, creating an integrated environment that embodies Parajanov's aesthetic sensibilities.

The Sergei Parajanov Museum is located in central Yerevan, in the Dzoragyugh ethnographic district, and is open to visitors daily. Working hours are from 10:30 to 18:00, though some sources indicate closing at 17:00. Entrance requires a ticket, with reduced rates for children, pensioners, and students; children under 12 enter free. Guided excursions are available by advance reservation, with separate fees for Armenian-language and foreign-language tours in English, Russian, and French. The museum also offers audioguides with biographical information in multiple languages including Spanish, French, and Russian. As one of Yerevan's most visited museums, it functions as an active cultural center, hosting exhibitions, publications, honorary receptions, and events including annual meetings of Yerevan International Film Festival guests. The museum also serves as a venue for cultural and educational events of various formats, from breakfast gatherings to video screenings. Over its history, it has organized approximately 50 to 67 exhibitions in more than 35 countries, including Cannes, Thessaloniki, Athens, Tokyo, Moscow, Rome, Tehran, Hollywood, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Montreal, Brussels, and Istanbul, primarily within the framework of film festivals or by invitation from renowned museums. Notable visitors have included Paulo Coelho, Wim Wenders, Atom Egoyan, Nikita Mikhalkov, and numerous heads of state. In April 2021, the "Friends of Art" Charitable Cultural Foundation was established to support the acquisition, study, preservation, and popularization of Parajanov's creative heritage.