The Museum of Western and Eastern Art was founded by Bogdan Ivanovitch Khanenko (1848–1917). He acquired the first objects when he became a student of the Faculty of Law of the Moscow University. In 1897 B.I. Khanenko headed the Kiev Society of Antiquities and Arts and became one of the founders of the Kiev Museum of National Art.
Being a regular customer of antiquarian shops and the main European auctions, Khanenko was able to gather his own collection. He pride of his collection of paintings that was considered the best collection of European paintings in the Russian Empire. In 1887 B.I. Khanenko ordered a villa, where he could place all his objects. This building, erected by architect Meltser, still houses this famous collection.
According to Khanenko's will all his collections were donated to the city of Kiev. His condition was only to name the museum after him and his wife — Barabara Ivanivna Khanenko (1857–1922). At Soviet time the collection underwent significant changes: many objects as well as Khanenko's archives were irretrievably lost. However due to instilling of private collections the number of museum objects was increased in 13 times — from 1 250 to almost 17 000.
2000 objects are displayed in the permanent exposition of the Museum.
