The museum is located in the southern garden wing or the former 18th century Sheremetev Palace. I was here, in the flat of her husband, the prominent art historian and avant-garde theoretician Nikolai Punin that the poet Anna Akhmatova (1889 - 1966) lived for almost 30 years from the mid 1920s. To mark the 100th anniversary of her birth a museum was opened here which tells the story of the Soviet period of Russian History, the first to illustrate how the intelligentsia found their own way of living within a totalitarian State.

    A new display completed in 2003 combines a reconstructed memorial communal apartment of Akhmatova times and a literary exhibition in an adjoining classical rotunda. In memorial section which looks like a total installation from Soviet period visitors are encouraged to look at photograph albums, listen to recordings of poets voice and to handle some objects. The literary display using new visual language creates a model of Akhmatova poetic world.

    The Museum plays the role of culture center of local community providing historical exhibitions based on family archives and public art projects in neighboring yards. It also organizes monthly literary readings, books presentations, concerts, conferences on Anna Akhmatova and 20th century culture as well as temporary exhibitions and art-festivals in collaboration with Russian and International contemporary artists. Through innovative art projects the museum develops new visual language and pioneering exhibition practices which help it to follow its mission and to promote Anna Akhmatova works and Russian literature of the 20th century in modern society.