Literary and historical-architectural Museum-reserve in Taganrog is one of the city's attractions. The Museum-reserve was established in 1981 from the Taganrog Museum of local lore and literary Museum of A. P. Chekhov. In 1992 he became state regional cultural institution.

By the early 2000s, the city has developed a large Museum Association: seven museums and thirty Museum display objects that are associated with the history of Taganrog, and also with the life and work of the great Russian writer A. P. Chekhov. The Museum-reserve consists of literary and historical section. In the literary part includes: a literary Museum of A. P. Chekhov, the Museum "the Chekhovs 'Shop", memorial section "Chekhov's Cottage", the house-Museum of I. D. Vasilenko and complex Chekhov memorable places. The historical part consists of the Taganrog Museum of local history, the Museum of the urban planning and everyday life of the city of Taganrog, as well as the memorial Museum of A. A. Durov. In 2010, on the eve of the 150-year anniversary of Chekhov's birth – at the Museum-reserve took place the opening of the South-Russian scientific and cultural center of A. P. Chekhov.

Today the total area of the Museum-reserve is more than 5,000 sqm In its funds there are more than 280 thousand exhibits. Stock collection of the Taganrog literary and historical-architectural Museum-reserve is largely unique and quite diverse. Museum visitors can explore the archaeological and historical artefacts, photos and documents, handwritten books, antique publications, household items and decorative art and numismatic collection, products from precious metals and many other interesting exhibits.

All the items that are associated with the history of this region, are of historical, artistic and scientific value. In this town there lived an Emperor, Alexander I, was born and lived the famous writer Anton Chekhov, born outstanding actress F. G. Ranevskaya, lived the writer I. D. Vasilenko and renowned circus artist A. A. Durov. A significant part of the collection of the Taganrog literary and historical-architectural Museum-reserve are the personal belongings of famous citizens, documents, photographs, furniture and works, formed over many decades.