Sergey Dmytrevich Merkurov was a prominent Soviet sculptor-monumentalist of Greek-Armenian descent, who was born and educated in Gyumri. His house-museum was opened in Gyumri in his family house in 1984. The house was built in 1869 by Merkurov’s ancestors.
Merkurov is known not only as a monumental sculptor, but also as the author of many death masks. He is the author of over 300 masks. The masks of 59 Soviet leaders and famous people were exhibited in the museum after his death, including the original death mask of Lenin. Before his death Merkurov bequeathed this house to the with the request that it should serve to art only. The house suffered from 1988 earthquake and was restored in 2003.
