In December 2015 the Intellectual Renaissance Foundation bought the world-renowned novelist, American-Armenian playwright William Saroyan’s home in Fresno and intends to turn it into a Saroyan museum. The foundation aims to create an atmosphere of Saroyan’s house so that visitors get to know Saroyan’s lifestyle.
The head of the foundation, Artur Janibekyan, has founded the Saroyan House Project, establishing links with the relatives and family members of the renowned novelist, according to a press release. A competition to design the house museum, where Storaket Architectural Studio, based in Yerevan, has been named the winner. They have proposed novel solutions and new technologies to be applied to the design of the project.
The Foundation has obtained all the necessary agreements with the Fresno City Hall and intends to officially open the house-museum on the 110th birthday anniversary of the novelist slated for August 31, 2018.
The house-museum will also become a center for Saroyan studies. The foundation plans to collect books, furniture items, paintings, souvenirs and personal items, which would describe Saroyan’s character. It is noted, that some of the Pulitzer-winner literary heritage of the writer is kept at Stanford University, while others are located at the William Saroyan Foundation in San Francisco.
The Foundation is to also launch the saroyanhouse.com website, containing information about Saroyan’s life, and activities of the Saroyan house-museum. Through the website, visitors will also be able to take a virtual tour around the museum.
