Abstract
The article discusses the role and functions of municipal cultural institutions in the modern urban space. The author analyzes the possibilities of houses and palaces of culture in terms of their compliance with the current trends in leisure activities and the requirements of strategic documents in the field of cultural policy of our State. It is shown that the issue of material and technical support is the most critical, since the demand for the services offered directly depends on the possibility of meeting the interests of citizens, who at this point prefer to spend their free time at shopping centers or commercial organizations. Nevertheless, in our country there are examples of modernization of houses of culture, proving that they can be a relevant place for people of any age. The author concludes that at present there is a need for a qualitative change in the activities of municipal cultural institutions which will help them to maintain their importance in the urban space.