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Museum of national architecture and urban life of Gyumri

The Dzitoghtsians Museum or the museum of national architecture and urban life of Gyumri was constructed in 1872. The house that is the museum today used to belong to one of the wealthiest people in Gyumri, Petros Dzitoghtsian.

The museum comprises several sections, where belongings of the former owners have been preserved. Here you can get a clear idea of how wealthy Armenians lived 150 years ago, their tastes, preferences, and interests. Their furniture has been preserved in the rooms of the Dzitoghtsians: the piano and watch brought from Austria 130 years ago, paintings by famous painters brought from Italy and other pieces of furniture brought from Russia and Europe.

Alexandrapol was truly considered the city of arts and crafts. Armen Tigranian staged the opera Anush for the first time in Alexandrapol. The instruments on which they played at that time including the bagpipe, kyamancha, shvi, duduk, and tar have been preserved in the museum. Jivani and Sheram, the famous Armenian ashughs (minstrels) of that time sang in Alexandrapol.

The arts of jewelers, silversmiths, blacksmiths, lace work, and other crafts were developed in the city.

In the Dzitoghtsians museum you feel that you are in the 19th century, the time when Alexandrapol was the richest Armenian city. At that time Eastern Armenia, which was a part of czarist Russia, only had six cities: the richest and the most important one was Alexandrapol, then came Yerevan, New Bayazet (today's Gavar), Goris, Shushi, and Kars.

In the 1920s the Dzitoghtsians left their house and moved to the Crimea and from there to France. There are no other details about them and their heirs. In 1984 the house was turned into a museum. However after 1988 it was inhabited.

Visitor Information

Working Days:
Tuesday-Sunday

Working Hours:
11:00am-17:00pm, Sunday 11:00am-16:00pm

The Museum is closed on:
Mondays

Price of Admission:
Foreign Citizens: 500 AMD
Armenian Citizens: 500 AMD
Children: 100 AMD

Excursions are held in the following languages:
Armenian - 1,000 drams
Russian - 2,000 drams
English - 2,000 drams
French - 2,000 drams

Address: Haghtanaki Ave., 47 Building