Simbirsk Merchants Museum

About museum

On the site of a former shop the museum building was reconstructed; it was part of the estate complex of the Zharkov family of the Simbirsk merchants' guild. Here visitors can learn about the city's history as a trading center, discover the origins and development of the merchant class, and learn about merchants' everyday life, customs, and traditions. The museum presents a documentary exhibition that helps visitors learn about the role of merchants in industrial development, their participation in the organization of city and local government, and their banking and stock-exchange activities. Visitors will also see unique photographs and documents showing how merchants lived, how they dressed, and which traditions were maintained in their families.