Branch Head:
Kateryna Vasylivna Borovyk
Phone:
38 044 520 2822
Email:
1000_100@ukr.net
Year of Establishment:
2012
Address:
Kyiv, Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St., 7
Scope of Activities:
History, Culture, Art
Opening Hours:
The Museum and Exhibition Center is one of the main cultural hubs of Ukraine’s capital. The museum building is a modern exhibition complex designed for the leisure of Kyiv residents and visitors, located in the very heart of the city at 7 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St. It is one of the finest cultural, educational, and research institutions in Kyiv.
The Center hosts an exhibition showcasing the most significant and vivid chapters in the city’s history, while thematic historical exhibitions represent various aspects of urban life, including industry, trade, education, daily life, science, art, and more.
The Museum of Kyiv History was founded on November 14, 1978, and opened in 1979. Today it unites 10 branch museums that together complement the overall concept of the Museum.
1978–1982
The Museum of Kyiv History was established on November 14, 1978, and opened in the first quarter of 1979 in the “House of Peter I” in Podil (6/8 Kostiantynivska St.). At that time, the museum’s collection consisted of archaeological materials transferred by the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, as well as ethnographic and numismatic collections, a collection of icons, old printed books, postcards, and gifts from enterprises, institutions, and residents of Kyiv. Within a short period, the museum’s holdings grew to 36,000 items.
1982–2004
Due to the limited exhibition space, only 5–6% of the collection could be displayed at once. As a result, the museum was relocated to the Klovskyi Palace (a national architectural monument of the 18th century located at 8 Pylypa Orlyka St.) and opened there on May 26, 1982, during the celebration of Kyiv’s 1500th anniversary. The Museum remained in the Klovskyii Palace for more than twenty years, featuring 18 exhibition halls, an assembly hall, administrative offices, and storage facilities. During this period, the Museum gained a reputation as one of the finest cultural and educational institutions in Kyiv and became a hallmark of ancient Kyiv.
2004–2012
However, according to Resolution No. 506 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated August 11, 2003, the building of the Klovskyi Palace was transferred to the Supreme Court of Ukraine. On March 10, 2004, the Museum was closed to visitors and “relocated” to the 4th and 5th floors of the Ukrainian House Art Palace at 2 Khreshchatyk St..
2012 – Present
On June 6, 2012, following public pressure, a building of a commercial and office center near the Teatralna metro station (7 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho St.) was assigned to the Museum of Kyiv History. On August 22, 2012, the Museum resumed its exhibition activities there and continues to operate today as the Museum and Exhibition Center “Museum of Kyiv History.”
An important component of the Museum and Exhibition Center is the operation of temporary thematic and art exhibitions, as well as art projects that showcase all facets of contemporary art on both national and international levels. The Museum and Exhibition Center also hosts significant social projects such as the Chernobyl VR Project—the first virtual 3D Chornobyl tour, the contemporary art project “I Am Not Here” within Kyiv Art Week, and “CRIMEA is HERE.” Temporary exhibitions complement the narrative about the past and present of Ukraine’s capital.
By visiting the Museum and Exhibition Center “Museum of Kyiv History,” every guest has the opportunity to find something of personal interest: attend lectures, participate in discussions and workshops, enjoy creative evenings and concerts, watch films, or meet contemporary artists and get their autographs. The Center also hosts the project “Cultprostir. Hub”—a space for progressive youth communication—and the social project “PURVital – for elderly people and persons with disabilities.”
The dynamic structure of the Museum and Exhibition Center continually surprises visitors with something new, engaging, and creative.
