Mayakovsky House Museum

Few are aware that one of the most iconic voices of early 20th-century revolutionary poetry, Vladimir Mayakovsky, was not only born in Georgia but spent the formative years of his life in the picturesque village of Bagdati. Today, this tranquil Georgian settlement proudly preserves the memory of its famous native son through the Vladimir Mayakovsky House-Museum — a unique cultural institution that holds more than five thousand artifacts related to the poet’s life and legacy. From rare photographs and early editions of his work to personal belongings and everyday items, the museum offers a compelling glimpse into the world of a man whose verses stirred generations.

The museum is divided into two key sections. The first is the original house where Mayakovsky was born and spent his early childhood — a modest, historical two-story residence. The second is a purpose-built exhibition space that houses the extensive collection of materials documenting his creative journey and personal history.

In 1889, Mayakovsky’s father rented the small, wooden house from a local landowner. Four years later, in 1893, Vladimir Mayakovsky was born in that very home. In his autobiographical poem “I Myself,” the poet would later recount vivid memories of his early years spent in Bagdati, describing the house and the encircling mountains that framed his childhood. He recalled, with particular clarity, the rustic wine cellar on the ground floor — a place where grapes were brought in from nearby vineyards each autumn and transformed into traditional Georgian wine. The family lived on the upper level, and the young Mayakovsky, full of curiosity and wonder, explored every hill and ridge in the surrounding landscape.

The adjoining exhibition building serves as an immersive archive of Mayakovsky’s multifaceted life. It holds an impressive array of rare exhibits: handwritten letters, first editions of his poetry, candid photographs, and various personal effects. Each room unveils another chapter in his story — from his early years in Georgia to his dynamic career as a poet, artist, and public figure in Russia and beyond.

Established in 1940, the museum has long been a pilgrimage site for admirers of Mayakovsky’s work. Interestingly, the museum’s current director is a descendant of the very same local resident who once rented the home to Mayakovsky’s family — a living link between past and present. Located on the edge of Bagdati along the road leading to the famous Sairme resort, the museum is hard to miss, especially with the striking monument to the poet that stands proudly in front of the complex.

Mayakovsky’s relationship with Georgia didn’t end in childhood. In 1914, the young poet, by then living in Moscow, returned to Tiflis (modern-day Tbilisi) for a series of public readings. To the audience’s astonishment, he addressed them in Georgian — a gesture that deeply moved those in attendance. The museum still holds some of the letters he wrote in Georgian, albeit using Russian transliteration. For Russian-speaking visitors familiar with the Georgian language, these letters offer a rare, touching insight into Mayakovsky’s deep-rooted emotional connection to his homeland. Having left Georgia at a young age, he gradually lost fluency in written Georgian, but he continued to speak the language when possible.

Mayakovsky would return to Georgia again in 1924 with plans to give more public readings in Tiflis. However, political unrest and ongoing conflict during the Sovietization of the country led to the cancellation of those events. It wasn’t until two years later, in 1926, that he was finally able to perform in the Georgian capital once more.

Such was the impact of the poet’s legacy that from 1940 to 1990, the village of Bagdati was officially renamed “Mayakovsky” in his honor — a testament to the enduring connection between the revolutionary artist and the land of his birth.