The building in Kyiv on Shovkovychna Street is called the Chocolate House by locals. It was built in 1901 with funds from timber industrialist and merchant Semyon Semyonovich Mogilevtsev. At the time, he was quite wealthy and a well-known patron in Kyiv: he supported the needy, financed healthcare and education. For example, he allocated 500,000 rubles for the construction of the Pedagogical Museum, which was a huge sum back then.

This mansion was built for himself, although there are disagreements about this. The urban legend states that the building was intended for a family he hoped to create. Semyon Semyonovich was a bachelor and deeply loved a married woman. Hoping she would leave her husband for him, he built this masterpiece. The exterior of the building is designed in the style of Florentine palaces, while the interior features Art Nouveau, which incorporates a variety of classical styles. In front of the entrance was a depiction of Mercury with a massive staff, symbolizing the successful development of the merchant's trade. The interiors of the building are also noteworthy: each hall is decorated in a unique style. For example, the dining room is Gothic, the study is Baroque, the bedroom is Moorish, and the central hall is Rococo. Here, Mogilevtsev hosted balls, receptions, and discussed business matters with trade delegations.

Many wonder why the building is called the Chocolate House. Initially, Semyon Semyonovich did not invest any 'sweet' meaning into it. Locals gave it this name because the light brown facade resembled the color of chocolate. The wealthy timber industrialist lived here until his death in 1917. If we believe the legend about the house being intended for a future wife, then happiness never came: Semyon Semyonovich died a bachelor. During Soviet times, the Chocolate House housed the Civil Registry Office, then an Art Gallery, and now it is the Museum of Art.