Lviv Museums
A city as old as Lviv with so much history would not be complete without a good selection of museums, and Lviv city does not disappoint! Many museums are centred on the historic Rynok Square in central Lviv. Throughout the various museums, you will see ancient pr-historic artefacts, items from the Galicia period (Lviv was the capital city of the old Galicia empire) up until the present day.
Entry fees to even the most popular museums are very minimal by Western standards. A ticket grants you a days access to a particular museums (this may not be the case for all).
The Lviv History Museum
The Lviv History Museum is one of the most popular in the city and one of the oldest in Ukraine. It houses an incredibly wide selection of historic and cultural artifacts that are important to Lviv. Lviv’s history is very varied and this museum certainly reflects that with displays ranging from the time of the Galicia Empire of which Lviv was the capital city to the present day.
The museum can be found in Rynok Square (building numbers 4, 6 and 24). The Buildings themselves date back to the 15th century and make a suitable backdrop for a museum.
Exhibits on the ancient and medieval history of western Ukrainian lands can be found at 24 Rynok Square. For those wanting to find out more about the beginning of Lviv, the life of Old-Ruthenian Prince Danylo of Galicia and to see war artifacts from a major Ukrainian war led by Bogdan Khmelnytsky, this is the place to go.
No. 4 Rynok Square focuses more on Ukraine and its fight for a national identity and independence during the 19th and 20th Centuries. There are various exhibits on modern Ukrainian history.
No. 6 Rynok Square is know as the Royal Chambers of Lviv where a wide collection of historic valuables can be found. There are some stunning examples of priceless furniture, intricate sculptures and many other things to be found.
The former Town Arsenal, an architectural monument of the 16th century, offers for observation old arms and weapons (13th - early 20th centuries) from nearly 40 countries of the world.
The Lviv History Museum was founded in 1893 and its early exhibits were quite sparse. Over he last hundred years it has amassed one of the best historic collections in Ukraine thanks to various donations.
The first house of the Museum was the archive department of the Town Hall. As the number of exhibits was growing, the magistracy bought, in 1908, the ancient stone building at 6 Rynok Square to house the National Museum named after King Jan III Sobieski. In 1918, five halls were given to the History Museum, to house the town's collections.
In 1926, Lviv citizens acquired another building for the Museum, at 4 Rynok Square. Five thousand items from the collection of the History Museum were transferred to this new building and opened for public observation on the 22nd of September, 1929.
On the 8th of May 1940, the History Museum of Lviv and the National Museum in Lviv named after King Jan III Sobieski were united to form one institution - the Lviv History Museum.
Today, it stores over 320,000 museum objects. The Museum's major collections include materials of archaeological excavations, tools, wares by craftsmen of Lviv's guilds, works of art, old coins, orders and medals and arms and weapons.
In 1994, a new section was initiated in the Museum - the History of Ukraine's Struggle for Liberation.
A collection of materials on the militant activities and operations of Ukraine's combatants is displayed in the Museum House at 4 Rynok Square.
This exhibit illustrates memorable events of World War I that involved Ukrainian Sichovi Striltsi, Ukrainian Galician Army, offers documentary accounts of underground activities of the UVO - OUN in the interval between the wars, displays a great variety of materials such as: leaflets, War Fund counters, illegal editions and publications featuring the fights of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), Secret organisations of the OUN, the "Galichina Ukrainian Division, - 1-UD-UPA, materials on the Ukrainian Chief Liberation Council (UGVR).
This department of the Museum invites Ukrainian patriots, participants of the Liberation Movement, living either in Ukraine or abroad to co-operate in acquiring new items for the Museum's collections and in exchanging scientific information.
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The Lviv Art Gallery
Address: 3 Stefanyk Street, Lviv
The Lviv Art Gallery is the largest art museum in Ukraine with a collection totalling over 50, 000 pieces. Ranging from the 14th century to the present day, the artwork is very varied with pieces from masters such as Rubens, Mengs, de la Turet and Goya.
The collection was first started in 1907 when the Ukrainian government purchased an impressive collection of paintings from a Ukrainian sugar magnate. These were placed on display within the Art Gallery building, which itself is a very impressive turn of the 20th Century property.
Regular conferences are held at the Lviv Art Gallery amid the Lviv art collections, and also art internships are organised here for restorers.
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Rusalka Dnistrova Museum
Rusalka Dnistrova (translates as 'Mermaid of the Dnister'), the name of the museum, was taken from the title of a famous novel written by Markiyan Shashkevych (1811 -1843). This museum is located in the Church of the Holy Spirit, Lviv (dates back to the 18th Century) and the centerpiece of the exhibition are artifacts relating to the book and its author. Other religious icons, images and sculptures are also on display.
The museum is located on no. 4 Copernicus Street in Lviv. The museum is opened every day except Monday and Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Museum of Ancient Artwork for Ukrainian books
The new exhibition of the Museum of Book presents Ukrainian incunabula where one can see works of Ukrainian medieval publishers, printers and engravers. Several unique publishing’s of the Renaissance and the Baroque times represent European printings. The third exhibition hall reflects the atmosphere of the medieval printing place with special authentic elements of the room and two unique machines: a printing press of the 17th century and a page-press.
The museum is opened every day, except Monday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Address: 15a, Copernicus Street (behind the Potocki Palace), tel.: 72-25-36
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Johann Georg Pinsel Museum
In 1996 in the former Poor Clares Church there was opened the Museum of Lviv Sacral Baroque Sculpture "Johann Georg Pinsel Creative Work". At the end of the 1750s he created the sculptural ensemble on St. George Cathedral in Lviv, worked in Lviv St. Martin Church, in Monastyrys'ka in Ternopil region. The altar from the church of Hodovytsya village near Lviv*** is the brightest work as concerns the emotional influence. In 1761 the sculptor died. The sculptor's creative work is a remarkable phenomenon in the history of Ukrainian and moreover - the world culture. He created the original heritage which had no equal in Europe of the mid-18th c. and formed Lviv baroque sculpture school (about 40 masters). The museum is opened every day, except Monday, in 2, Mytna square from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., tel.: 75-69-66. The Boim family Chapel is the department of the Lviv Art Gallery (see the description on page 55-56). The Chapel is opened every day, except Monday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Museum of Lviv's Ancient Relics
The Museum of Lviv Ancient Relics is located in the Lviv Art Gallery department. It was formed in 1993 after numerous archeological digs in one of Lviv’s oldest churches; the Church of St. John the Baptist. The exhibition is devoted to religious art and relics, historical documents dating back to the Galician times and various other items discovered during the digs. The collection is very varied and features an icon from the 14th century entitled Lviv Virgin and Child.
The museum is open daily, except Monday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Address: The Staryi Rynok Square (or 1, Uzhhorods'ka Street, tel.: 72-28-86. The Lviv Art Gallery has its branches in Lviv region: museum-preserves "Olesko Castle", "Pidhirtsi Castle", "Zolochiv Castle", "Pyat-nychanska Tower", M. Shashkevych memorial estate museum near Pidlyssia village, Zolochiv district.
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The National Museum of Lviv
The National Museum in Lviv is one of the largest in Ukraine and probably the most important museum in Ukraine. It has a collection of over 130, 000 items ranging from various time periods and other countries. After various occupations by the Polish, Soviets, Austrians and Germans, Lviv was left with very little in the way of historic artifacts and it is impressive how the government have managed to regain many pieces to display in museums such as this one throughout the town.
The collection was first started in 1905 by bishop Andrey Sheptyskyi and was originally called the ‘Church Museum’. It primarily displayed items of religious importance but this was diversified as paintins, traditional folk items from throughout Ukraine, original books, engravings etc were gathered.
There are no less than 4000 ancient icons in the collection, one of the biggest in Europe. The most beautiful are on display. There are also famous paintings by masters such as Pinsel, Polejowski and Filevych among others.
Also of note is a set of Ukrainian folk engravings dating from the 17-18th c. and are of great value (about 1 thousand units within this collection alone). Rare original Cyrillic illustrated books and manuscripts are in the collection from all over Eastern Europe including the Krakow Publications by Schweipolt Fiol (1491-1493), Prague and Vienna printings by Francisk Skoryna, almost every Ivan Fedorov's publications deserve special attention too. Relics of the 13-16th c. are in the collection of manuscript books.
The museum in Lviv is located on no. 20 Svobody Avenue and is open every day except Friday.
Tel.: 74-22-82 or 72-89-60
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Museum of Ethnography and Crafts
The Museum of Ethnography and Crafts is one of the most specialised ethnography museums in Europe and one of the richest artistic depositories of decorative-applied art of Ukraine. About 85 thousand pieces are kept in its vaults. The history of the museum originates in 1874, when the city Industrial Museum was established in Lviv. Now the museum is placed in two separate buildings in Lviv which are described below.
15 Svobody Avenue, Lviv
Located here is a constant exhibition dedicated to the material and spiritual culture of Ukrainians such as: typical Ukrainian jobs, folk artistic trades, interiors of traditional Ukrainian houses of different ethnographic regions within Ukraine.
10 Rynok Square, Lviv
Located here is the Furniture and Porcelain Museum, Lvov where there is an impressive display of Ukrainian and European furniture, textiles, tapestries, metal, porcelain, faience from the Renaissance to the early 20th c. One of the focal points are the collection of traditional folk clothing in Ukraine.
There are over 18, 000 clothing sets featuring some of the most beautiful Ukrainian embroidery.
Plus there are more than a hundred homespun Ukrainian carpets and European tapestries dating from the 17th - early 20th c. are kept in the textiles department. Armenian carpets of the 17-19th c. and a wide collection of Jewish textiles are also in the collection too. One of the centerpieces of the carpet and textiles section are the unique set of Coptic Textiles and Rugs. These can only be seen in the Museum of Ethnography and Crafts in Lviv.
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The Pharmacy Museum
Address: no. 2, Drukarska Street, Lviv; tel.: 72-00-41. Opening hours from 9 a.m to 7 p.m.; on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Pharmacy Museum in Lviv was founded in 1735 and features a wide range of ancient medicines, medical equipment ranging from the gruesome to the strange and reconstructions of laboratories among other things.
The collection of Ukrainian medical equipment in the museum is over 8000 pieces strong and includes busts of famous Ukrainian doctors, wall paintings by Viennese masters, crockery, Ukrainian traditional medicine and amazing furniture.
In the restored Renaissance wing dating from the 17th c. the decorative oak door leads to the alchemical laboratory. In the basement, visitors can get a taste of the medicinal ‘iron wine’!
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Museum of the History of Galicia Ancient Medicine (Maryan Panchyshyn)
Opened in the premises of Ukrainian Medical Society in 3, U. Karmelyuk Street, Lviv, telephone 76-97-98. Is opened from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday are days off). The museum amounts to about 5 thousands exhibits.
The majority of the exhibition is dedicated to medicine and medical treatments dating back to the ancient Galician Empire. Visitors can see how operations were performed throughout the medieval times through to present day (not for the fainthearted!).
There is a memorial room to M. Panchyshyn which also has a collection of various Ukrainian medical pieces from the Lviv Medical University. In the "Lvivshchyna" sector two estates and a church are already prepared for exhibiting. "Podillya" sector has the church of 1773 from Sokoliv village, Buchach district, Ternopil' region and the bell-tower from Monastyryska village of the same region.
The museum collection possesses precious sets of folk clothes and textile, Hutsul tiles and a stove collection (the works of such famous masters as O. Bakhmatyuk, M. Baranyuk, P. Koshak) among them. In the 80-ies there were purchased 200 musical instruments. The museum also has rare manuscripts and incunabula. On the territory of the museum there are organized performances of amateur folklore ethnographic ensembles.
The annual folklore ethnographical festivity "From the Folk Sources" is of great success with the visitors. The museum address is: 1, Chernecha Hora St, Lviv.; tel.: 71-80-17. The opening hours are: every day, except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The State Natural History Museum of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Lviv is one of the oldest and richest in scientific naturalistic funds among the museums of Europe. The count W. Dzieduszycki (1825-1899), a well - known zoologist, ethnographer and archaeologist was its founder. The house of the museum* is an architectural relic of the 19th c. (built about 1830 by Wincent Rawski the elder). The oldest in Europe mechanical lift* made in Vienna in the middle of the 19th c. is there. Since 1870 the museum has started to accept some excursions and that year is considered to be its foundation date. The funds of the museum which amount to about 500 thousand museum subjects constitute its basis. Collections and separate natural relics of the world importance are kept there.
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Solomiya Krushelnytska Musical History Museum
This museum is dedicated to the most famous Ukrainian opera singer Solomiya Krushelnytska (1873-1952) who became world famous. She performed lead roles on some of the most respected stages in Europe and gathered praise from the most famous conductors and directors of the time, such as Puccini and Strauss. Her voice was a dramatic soprano and had a range of three octaves. Solomiya Krushelnytska was also a resident of Lviv city.
The S. Krushelnytska Musical Memorial Museum began its work in 1991. The museum occupies the first floor of house 23, Krushelnytska Street, Lviv, which belonged to the singer. This house was built in 1884. The main façade is richly decorated with stucco sculptures; the balcony in the first floor decorated with two statuaries in antique style attracts one's attention. There is a memorial plaque on the facade of the house.
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Ivano Franko Literary Museum
The Ivano Franko museum is located in his own property which was built in 1902 on no. 4 Poniriski Street (also known as no. 152 and 150 Ivan-Franko Street, Lviv). Ivan Franko (1856-1916) was one of the most famous Ukrainian cultural workers of his time as well as being a writer, politician, linguist (he could speak 14 languages) and was generally considered a man with an encyclopedic knowledge!
Forty years of Franko's life passed in Lviv. In 1902 Franko managed to build his own house in the Sophiyivka suburb of Lviv. Ivan Franko had lived his last fourteen years in his own house. Here he died on the 28th of May, 1916. After I. Franko's death, his wife and two sons Taras and Petro still lived in the house. Throughout the museum, visitors will be able to see his property like the day he left it including how his personal writing table was left and even the fishing tackle he made a few days before he died. Some of Franko’s most famous works were written at this desk.
Bookcases stand there too. There is a portrait of Ivan Franko by Ivan Trush, four drawings of the same painter, family photos. The museum holds about 26 thousand units relating to Ivan Franko. These include personal family possessions, the writer's manuscripts, the first editions of his works with autographs and original photos.
Franko’s collection of portraits are diverse including the works of other well known artists.
The museums address is: 150-152-154, Ivan Franko Street; Telephone: 76-77-60, 76-93-65. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Monday.
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