The Museum of Kyiv History represents the historical exhibition project “Kyiv Amulet,” which explores the theme of sacred beliefs that have shaped the human spiritual world since ancient times. Faith in supernatural forces, in the power of certain objects and symbols to protect, guard, and empower, has accompanied humanity from the earliest cultures to the present day. At the center of the exhibition is the phenomenon of the amulet, which spans all stages of history: from personal charms to state symbols. The exhibition space is organized around three levels of protective practices – individual, domestic, and public-presentational.
A personal amulet is an object carrying individual meaning, reflecting a person’s connection to family, the world, and their own fate. In ancient times, these were natural materials – stones, teeth, bones, symbolic pendants – which later coexisted with Christian sacred objects such as crosses and icons worn on the body. During times of war, personal amulets – family photos, children’s drawings, a pendant with the trident – become sources of faith and strength, embodying home and love.
Domestic magic encompasses symbols that preserve family lineage and daily life. These are home amulets – beams, towels, stoves, decorative paintings, didukhy, Christmas spiders. In wartime, these objects take on special meaning: they become anchors, pieces of home taken during evacuation or given as signs of care and remembrance.
The official-presentational level reflects protective symbols of the community and the state. From sacred trees and pagan shrines to the sacred topography of Christian Kyiv, where the Oranta of St. Sophia and Archangel Michael became spiritual guardians of the city. In modern history, these are state amulets: the flag, coat of arms, trident, towels, and banners from the front. They symbolize unity, faith in victory, and the resilience of the people.
“An amulet is not just an object; it is a spiritual essence where memory, faith, and love converge. It continues to live in the modern city, in our families, in wartime experiences – as a testament to the continuity of traditions and the strength of the Ukrainian spirit. Through the symbolism of amulets, our collective identity is expressed – an inner code of resilience that makes us part of history and its creators at the same time. From ancient charms to the national flag, from embroidered shirts to trident tattoos – all these forms share one meaning: the desire to preserve oneself, one’s family, and one’s land. Sacred symbols that have accompanied Ukrainians for millennia remain alive and relevant today. During the full-scale war, they continue to symbolize faith, resistance, and strength,” emphasizes Viktoriia Mukha, Director General of the Museum of Kyiv History.
A special focus of the exhibition is the theme of amulets during the darkest and most tragic period for the country – during wartime. Symbolic amulets are often objects that connect soldiers with their families: letters, photographs, items from home, priceless small objects handmade by loved ones. They can also be unique “trophies,” witnesses of fortune acquired along one’s path of struggle: a bullet fragment that passed by and seemingly “saved” a life, a helmet, a rosary, or a medallion that survived enemy fire. The exhibition features personal belongings of Ukrainian soldiers, which provided protection and strengthened faith during the most difficult moments on the front. In partnership with the “Voices of the Peaceful” Museum of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, personal amulets and video stories of Ukrainians who survived occupation, lost their homes, and were forced to flee quickly from danger are also presented.