Taras Shevchenko museum

Adress: Taras Shevchenko boulvard, 12 Telephone: (044) 224-25-23 Site: shevchenkomuseum.com.ua

The house-museum was opened in 1928. Taras Grygor'evich Shevchenko lived and worked there. Almost 170 years has passed since the time when the house was built nearby so called Kozino swamp by a secretary and official Ivan Ivanovich Zshytnytskyi. If not a name of Taras Shevchenko, the house would have fallen into oblivien just as all the houses damaged and lost in time.

Even the fact, that house survived undamaged during the Great Patriotic War while Khreschatik street was absolutely ruined tells about the supernatural forces that protect and keep the memory about Shevchenko. In 1923-34, a professor Vasyl Krychevskyi gave a task to his students to investigate the old bourgeous houses of Kiev. The students were told by the dwellers of Khreschatik lane that Taras Shevchenko had lived here in 1846. (Krychevskyi was helped by his student F.Tytarenko). Krychevskyi investigated the house and let the authority know about that fact.

Of course, it had been taken into account and the house was released from the people living in by order of Kiev authority on 12th of August of 1925. The house was badly damaged and the authority contributed the big money to renew it - it was about 18,000 Soviet karbovanyts. An idea about restoration and decoration of the house, its rooms, work-shop and garden originally belonged to Vasyl Krychevskyi. The problem was sorted outon the highest level for that times. All the rooms, their interiors and furnuture have been projected so that it had resemblence with Shevchenko's times and represented vividly the spirit of that epoch. The works on material and equipment were done and guidened by a member of T.G.Shevchenko Institute - V.Mayakovskyi. On the 10th of November, 1928, the museum was opened for visitors.

During 1928-1941, the museum was enriched by the original works of the Soviet artists (illustrations for the books of Shevchenko, pictures to his biography etc). The post-war exposition was rather poor and insufficient but even that one impressed the visitors (mainly soldiers and officers of the Soviet Army). However, the exposition required its improvement. During 40 years (1969-1973) it required repair and some more expositions. For many years the house has been changed so many times that it had hardly resemblence with that building left by the past. Therefore, the Commission of Statebuilding decided to renew all the elements of the house based on the historical truth - it meant to reconstruct the house in the way it used to be many years ago, when Shevchenko lived here. It was a rather complicated task but creative workk of the state and civil organizations made it successfully. The project of restoration works has been made by R.P.Bykova.The restoration passed through the scientific research and lots of paperwork was done by the Building Commission in 1830. The modern exposition was worked out in the beginning of 90th, XX. It reflects fully all the facts about Shevchenko's staying in Kiev in 1846 during his three visits to motherland and living in that house particularly. The scients took much effort to create the original, unique and interesting exposition which satisfies all the requirements of the literary-memorial house-museum. Firstly, it is not just a copy of all the Shevchenko museums of Ukraine cause it represents in full the period of Shevchenko's life in Kiev; secondly, the excursion was greatly changed - it has become chronological. And, at last, a room dedicated to memory of Shevchenko stopped being so important now - nowdays it logically finishes all the excursion and tells about the last Shevchenko's visit to Kiev in 1859. The room represents the original works made by Taras Shevchenko - his personal equipment for painting and engraving, "Kobzar" of 1860 with his signature, his suit and shirt presented to him by his sister Yarina. Every year the museum is visited by almost 10,000 people.

Its pleasant atmosphere lets anyone relax from every day routine and go into the magic world of peace and inspiration. Do not miss this fairy place in the very centre of Kiev which is called Taras Shevchenko House-Museum.

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