Nabokov Museum

The Nabokov museum is housed in a sumptuous neo-Renaissance building that the family lived in until the Revolution in 1917 – take a bit of time to gaze at the rich woodwork of the interiors. Then go in and see the house that Vladimir Nabokov describes so lovingly in The Other Shores and Speak Memory. The rooms have not been restored with furniture, but the exhibits here fill the space with stories instead. A major highlight is Nabokov’s extensive butterfly collection, which features not only beautiful, colourful specimens but also explanations of their significance, and instances of specific species mentioned in his writings. Nabokov was a prolific English author and translator, and the museum, too, is bilingual-friendly, with accessible English materials.