September 12, 2016: Along the way from the entry gate to the building, where Anton Chekhov was born stood paintings and photographs, showing the memorial building in 1909-2000, forming an imaginary "Street of Chekhov little houses". Among the guests attending the ceremony were city leaders, aldermen of the city council, members of the official cultural delegation from the city of Jining, China.


Memorial museum "The Birth House of Anton Chekhov" marks 90 years since it opened its doors to the public. Its precursor was a Chekhov room at Taganrog Public Library, which opened as early as in 1909. Museum's foundation was made possible thanks to the efforts of "The Chekhov Circle" in Taganrog and city council's alderman Pavel Yordanoff. It should be mentioned that even today Taganrog Local Government communicates with descendants of Yordanoff family. Here is what Anton Chekhov wrote in one of his letters addressed to Pavel Yordanoff: "My mother told me I was born in a small outbuilding in Politseiskaya Street (now Chekhov Street) that belonged to merchant Gnutov". A memorial plaque was placed on the building in 1914. The present-day museum was inaugurated and received its first visitors in 1926. Although small as a toy house, it is well-known around the world as the master of the play's birth place and visited by 50 thousand Chekhov admirers from around the globe.


In 1934 the carriage house was demolished, its bricks were used for creation of a stone fence. At the same time the mansion the stood facing Chekhov Street was demolished, to open a better view on the little house where the great playwright was born. In 1935 the first Anton Chekhov's bust (portrait sculpture) in Russia was inaugurated in honor of his 75-year birth anniversary. The artist's name is Vera Morozova. For the event came very important guests from Moscow, including Anton's sister Maria Chekhova and his widow - Olga Knipper-Chekhova.

Actors of three amateur theater groups presented what museum's visitors and courtyard's inhabitants looked like through 90 years: little kids performing folklore songs, heroes of Anton Chekhov's short-stories and plays, an actor dressed as policemen of 19th century recited a fragment from Chekhov's story "Mental Ferment", kids wearing pioneer children's movement uniforms, people wearing clothes typical for 1920s, 1930s and after-war years, and many more.


After the end of this "travel in time", the floor was given to Mrs. Lipovenko, director of Taganrog Museum Group: "Everything changes - visitors, courtyard, museum and its exhibition. One thing is still the same: the attitude of Taganrog residents and visitors of the city to Anton Chekhov and the small house, where he was born. Everyone who loves the great playwright want to visit Taganrog. "The Birth House of Anton Chekhov" has a special ambience, this is a good place".