"Hunting Lodge", located on Pushkin Street, 32 in the regional center, is a city mansion belonging to Count Rumyantsev.

The building appeared in the city in 1820 as a summer residence.  

The construction was built upon the project of the architect Ivan Dyachkov in the style of late classicism. Being an architectural monument of the first half of the 19^th century, “Hunting Lodge” is a part of the manor ensemble.  

“Hunting Lodge” is also known under another name – “Empire House” that is associated with the appearance of the building. The name “Hunting Lodge” is connected with the location of the structure, which were the then outskirts of the city. The fact is that count Rumyantsev was not interested in hunting and he could not name the building because of the enthusiasm of this kind.

During 1830-1919 the mansion belonged to such families as the Krushevskys and the Lisovskys. Its last owner was Irena Golynskaya.

During the Soviet regime the former mansion was housed by a different kind of state organizations. Here was a city radio, as well as the Extraordinary Commission.

In the period from 1993 to 1997 the construction was reconstructed, after which the building was given to the regional Museum. In 2008 it was transferred to the municipal city property.

Like many other constructions that represent memorable sites of the regional center, “Hunting Lodge” is an important tourist attraction of Gomel. Moreover since 2002 it has been included in the List of historical-cultural valuesof the country.  It received the second category of values.

Today, in the former mansion there is the Museum of the history of Gomel city, which welcomed its first visitors in the spring of 2009.

The Museum includes exposition halls the total number of which is 7. They reflect a bedroom and dining room, study and living room, reconstructed in the spirit of a noble residence. Here you can also learn the history of the city from the moment of appearing the first settlement to the beginning of the last century. Here are also presented collections of works of art.

Architecturally the building is a rectangle. It is one-storeyed with the exception of the central part with a balcony. The construction has a flat roof with four slopes. On each side from the main volume there are small annexes, crowned with stepped attics.

The main façade is designed in the form of the Doric Order portico with six columns. Above it there is a terrace. The first floor of the central part of the building is made in the form of mezzanine; here is a balcony as well. The exit to this balcony is a semicircular arch. Sculptural inserts are made on the sides from it. The annexes also have decorative elements.

The material of construction was wood, lined with brick and plastered. The annexes are made of stone.  In tote, it seems that the whole building is made of stone.