Chekhov`s Literary Museum is located in the building of the men`s classical gymnasium, where he studied from 1868 to 1879. Almost all the houses where Anton Chekhov lived have museums, but the Chekhov Literary Museum is the largest museum in Russia dedicated to his work.
It is better to go to this museum after visiting Chekhov`s House, where the great Russian writer was born in 1860 and Chekhov`s Grocery, where Anton Chekhov spent his childhood. In the Chekhov Literary Museum you can see the manuscripts and personal belongings of Chekhov. It describes all the stages of his work, as well as the chronology of the events of his life.
The Taganrog Men`s Gymnasium was founded in 1806. This is the first gymnasium founded in the south of Russia. Taganrog in those years was the largest city in these lands. The gymnasium building, where the Chekhov Literary Museum is now located, was built in 1843 by architect Franz Boffo. He also built a Stone Staircase in Taganrog in 1823.
Anton Chekhov studied at this gymnasium for 11 years. He entered the gymnasium at the age of 8 and began writing short stories during his studies. Here he wrote the story "The Man in the Case". Now in front of the gymnasium there is a sculpture symbolizing a Man in a Case. The teacher who taught the Law of God at the gymnasium was one of the first to see Chekhov`s literary talent and named him Antosha Chekhonte. Later Anton Chekhov signed many of his works with this pseudonym.
The school in the gymnasium building worked until 1975, and in 1980 a museum was opened here. School classes of the 19th century have been recreated here, Chekhov`s report cards have been preserved. Chekhov had bad grades in some subjects. Immediately after graduating from the Gymnasium in 1879, he left for Moscow.
Chekhov Literary Museum has his personal belongings and original manuscripts Here there are his first stories, and well-known works published in huge circulations. In 1890, Chekhov spent almost a year on Sakhalin. This journey had a huge impact on his work. Alas, the difficulties of the trip undermined his health. He fell ill with tuberculosis and then was treated for all subsequent years.
Chekhov`s most productive creative stage was living in the Melikhovo Estate, in the Moscow Region. He lived there from 1892 to 1899. However, the lung disease progressed, and the doctors insisted on moving to Yalta. Chekhov`s House in Yalta is also now a museum.
In 1904 Anton Chekhov died in the German city of Badenweisler, where he went for treatment. In the Literary Museum you can see many photographs and paintings of Chekhov and people close to him. There is a portrait of Anton Chekhov, painted by his brother Nikolai Chekhov.
