Sergei Parajanov Museum
Collages and films of the visionary director
- Area Yerevan
- Type Museum
- Time needed 1h
The Sergei Parajanov Museum holds the collages, drawings, dolls and assemblages made by the film director during and after his years in Soviet prisons. It occupies a house on the edge of the Hrazdan gorge, brought from Tbilisi and rebuilt with his furniture and belongings.
Open in the planner →Getting there
About 2 km from the centre, a couple of minutes by car, or twenty minutes on foot west from Republic Square.
What you see
Most of the work is made from whatever was available: buttons, broken glass, lace, dried flowers, scraps of film. Rooms are arranged as a half-home, half-studio, with his own furniture, hats and photographs alongside the collages. Clips from The Colour of Pomegranates and his other films usually play in one of the rooms.
What to pair it with
Combine with the Cascade and the Opera on the way back into town, or with a walk along the Hrazdan gorge.
When to go
Any time it is open; it is small and rarely crowded. Confirm the weekly closing day. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
What is hard about it
It makes most sense if you know something about Parajanov's films and his imprisonment, and labelling does not fill that gap fully. The house is on a quiet street away from other sights, so it needs a deliberate detour.
Common questions
Do I need to know his films first?
It helps a great deal. Watching even part of The Colour of Pomegranates beforehand changes how the collages read.
How long is a visit?
About an hour. It is a house, not a large gallery.
Is there English labelling?
There is some, but the depth varies by room. A guide, if one is available, adds a lot. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
Nearby
- Yerevan CascadeGiant limestone stairway with modern sculpture and city views
- MatenadaranRepository of ancient Armenian manuscripts
- Republic SquareYerevan's central square with musical fountains
- Erebuni FortressUrartian citadel from 782 BC, the birthplace of Yerevan
- Armenian Genocide MemorialHilltop memorial and museum to the victims of 1915
- History Museum of ArmeniaNational collection from prehistory to the modern era
More of the same kind
- National Gallery of ArmeniaThe country's largest art collection, on Republic Square
- Byurakan ObservatorySoviet-era observatory founded by Viktor Ambartsumian