National Historical Museum of Ukraine

About

The National Museum of the History of Ukraine (stylized MIST, Ukrainian: Національний музей історії України, romanized: Natsionalnyi muzei istorii Ukrainy) illustrates Ukraine's history from ancient times to the present. It is one of the leading museums in Ukraine. It holds about 800,000 items in its collection, and usually has approximately 22,000 items on permanent display. The museum holds world-famous archaeological, numismatic, ethnographic and weapons collections, examples of decorative and applied arts, manuscripts, prints, paintings and drawings, as well as relics of the Ukrainian national liberation movement of the 20th century.

The museum began its activities with an archaeological exhibition in Kyiv in 1899 as the Museum of Antiquities and Arts. It was housed in the unfinished building designed by the prominent architect Vladyslav Horodetsky. Funds for it were raised by Kyiv residents.

The archeological department was the first to be created in the museum. It was headed by the well-known Ukrainian archaeologist Vikentiy Khvoyka.

Mykola Biliashivsky was the first museum director, from 1902. Bilyashivsky played an extremely important role in forming the museum's collections.

In 1904 the museum was opened as the Emperor Nicholas II Kyiv Art, Industry and Science Museum.

The museum was supported by patrons, including the Tereshchenko and Khanenko families. They financed archaeological expeditions and helped to create collections with historical and ethnographic artefacts. The museum received new objects of applied art and coin collections as donations yearly.

Museum collections were significantly increased by Danylo Shcherbakivsky. He was the head of the historical and ethnographic departments. The beginning of the First World War was a new stage for the museum. It remained open throughout the war, attracting visitors and growing its collection.

Ukrainian War of Independence and the Soviet Period

The ideological and educational role of the museum significantly increased during Ukrainian War of Independence in 1917–1921.

The capture of Ukraine by the Bolsheviks led to the nationalization of cultural institutions. In 1919 soviet authorities declared the Kyiv Art, Industry and Science Museum state property and renamed it the First State Museum. Museum funds were increased, mainly by the nationalization of private collections.

In 1924 the museum was renamed to the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Historical Museum. The museum exposition consisted of archaeological artefacts, household items and art. Also the museum had the graduate school, where art, archaeology and ethnography specialists studied.

In 1934 the museum was evicted from its original premises. Only the art and industrial departments remained at the same site. Two years later they formed the new State Ukrainian Museum, now the National Art Museum of Ukraine. All other exhibits were transported to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. It's the ancient monastery, where soviet authorities made the centre of antireligious propaganda. Funds of different museums were transported there, and it was called the Museum Town.

In 1935 the museum was renamed as the Taras Shevchenko Central Historical Museum. It worked at the territory of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

The museum was evacuated to Bashkir Nesterov Art Museum in Ufa when the USSR was attacked by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Although some exhibits remained in Kyiv. The evacuated collection returned to Kyiv in 1944.

At the end of 1941 with the occupation of Kyiv by Nazi forces the museum was under the Reichsleiter Rosenberg Taskforce. Its staff, including Hungarian archaeologist Nandor Fettich, packed the collections located in Kyiv Pechersk Lavra to remove it to Germany. In 1942 the archaeological and ethnographic collections of the museum were moved to the building which is now known as the Teacher's House. The museum of pre- and early history was made there.

Some of the most valuable museum artefacts from Kyiv were transported to Germany in 1941 and 1943. Most of them were trapped in Hochstedt Castle. After the fall of Nazi Germany, it was under American authority. Collections from Kyiv were sent to the Munich Central Collecting Point. Artefacts returned to Kyiv in 1947.

With the liberation of Kyiv by the Soviet Army in November 1943 the museum started to resume its work. In May 1944 it received the building where it is presently situated. It was a former arts school designed by Joseph Karakis. The museum opened for visitors in 1948.

A significant number of unique exhibits were lost during the war. The museum replenished its collections from numerous expeditions to the military fronts, archaeological and ethnographic expeditions. Also it made exhibits exchanges with Lviv, Odessa, Chernihiv, other Kyiv museums.

In 1977 the museum renewed its exposition. Design was very modern for those times. Such room planning with little changes is preserved nowadays.

The museum's collections became the basis for the other museums. In particular, 18,000 items were transferred to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. The Kyiv Fortress (historical and architectural complex where the museum was created) firstly was the branch of the historical museum. About 600 exhibits were donated to the Kyiv History Museum.