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main >> kiev museums >> ivan gonchar museum

Address: Ivan Mazepa's street, 29

Tel.: +38 (044) 288 92 68, +38 (044) 288 54 19

Working hours: daily from 10:00 till 17:45, except Monday. Sanitary day: each last Tuesday of month

How to get: go by bus № 24 from metro station Arsenalnaya towards Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra till the terminal station

Ivan Gonchar museum

Ukrainian centre of national culture of Ivan Gonchar was opened in Kiev in 1999. Personal collection of Ivan Gonchar, an artist, sculptor and public figure, became the museum basis. Ivan Gonchar started to collect in late fifties of 20 century. The artist brought folk art objects, performed in different periods of history and reflecting the country cultural traditions variety, from different parts of Ukraine. For several decades of grandiose and laborious collection and ethnology work, Gonchar collected the unique collection that started Ukrainian Centre of National Art of Ivan Gonchar.

When national museums laid emphasis on culture achievements of Soviet period, Ivan Gonchar did not concentrated on ideological nuances of art. He wanted his collection to reflect traditions of Ukrainian national art. As a result, this public museum became popular not only in Ukraine, but abroad also, and became one of the centers of “men of the sixties” movement in Kiev.

Ivan Gonchar museum

As it often happens, Ivan Gonchar's dream of a museum was realized just in 1993, after his death. In September, 1993, Kiev administration allocated a premise to the museum, and in 1999, according to president decree, Ukrainian Centre of National Culture was opened on the basis of Museum of Ivan Gonchar.

Museum collection totals about 15 000 objects of national art of artistic and ethnographic value. Folk painting, iconography, textile products, ceramics, folk musical instruments (bandura, kobza, cymbals, wheel lyre) are widely presented at Museum of Ivan Gonchar’s collection. Unique collection of pisanka (painted Easter eggs) includes 500 units. Memorial department stores materials about the founder of museum I.M. Gonchar. Now Ivan Gonchar's son – Peter Gonchar is the museum’s director, he inherited his father’s art talent and also adopted his passion for collecting of icons. By Peter Gonchar's efforts, the museum collection of ancient icon images exceeded 1 000 units.

Ivan Gonchar museum

Ukrainian Centre of National Culture Ivan Gonchar's Museum is state All-Ukrainian specialized research and cultural-educational institute. Primary goal of Ukrainian Centre of National Culture is maintenance and revival of national Ukrainian culture and traditions. In Ivan Gonchar's Museum works on collection replenishment are constantly carried out, relations with modern folk craftsmen – keepers and bearers of mastery secrets, are maintained, theme events and conferences are conducted and tradition of field expeditions is saved.