The Volkov-Babushkin House on Museum Square is often underestimated at first glance, although it is one of the oldest stone buildings in Saratov and a monument of federal significance. It existed back when a cannon stood by the Trinity Cathedral, and where the current building of the RUZHD management is located, there was an old trading yard.

Originally, the house at the corner of Peskovsky Lane belonged to the merchant-old believer Ivan Artemyevich Volkov. It is believed to have been built in the late 18th century on the site of the governor's estate and was a two-story building with basements.

Entering the courtyard makes it clear why this house is a federal monument. The basements still serve as the "zero" floor, and below them is another level of basements. Once, there was a large garden in the courtyard with a greenhouse, arbors, and paths that offered a view of the Volga. Now the view and the garden are built over, and a sewage manhole occupies the small courtyard.

Merchant Ivan Artemyevich Volkov was elected city mayor several times, and his nickname "Peskovsky" gave the name to the lane where the house is located.

In the late 1850s, the property passed to A.S. Babushkin, a relative of Volkov. At that time, an exit to the Old Cathedral Square was made with a canopy, and the house became a profitable one, with one apartment on each floor. The facade facing the square was redesigned in the style of pseudo-classical eclecticism. A detailed article about the house can be found in the book by Vyacheslav Ivanovich Davydov "Visible Images of Saratov."

During the Soviet era, the house became a communal apartment and essentially remains so to this day. The monument can only dream of restoration, despite its federal status, as part of the apartments have likely been privatized. Therefore, the restoration of the house according to modern laws must be carried out by the residents themselves with the help of specialized firms dealing with monuments of such significance.