National Historical Museum of Ukraine

The National Historical Museum of Ukraine, stylized as MIST, is the leading historical museum of Ukraine, located in Kyiv. Founded in 1899, it illustrates Ukraine's history from ancient times to the present and holds approximately 800,000 items in its collection, with roughly 22,000 items on permanent display. It is one of the most important cultural institutions in the country, housing world-famous archaeological, numismatic, ethnographic, and weapons collections alongside decorative and applied arts, manuscripts, prints, paintings, drawings, and 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, housed in an unfinished building designed by architect Vladyslav Horodetsky with funds raised by Kyiv residents. The archaeological department was headed by Vikentiy Khvoyka, and Mykola Biliashivsky served as the first director from 1902, playing a crucial role in forming the collections. In 1904 it opened as the Emperor Nicholas II Kyiv Art, Industry and Science Museum, supported by patrons including the Tereshchenko and Khanenko families who financed expeditions and donations. After the Bolshevik capture of Ukraine, the museum was nationalized in 1919 and renamed the First State Museum. In 1924 it became the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Historical Museum, with a graduate school for art, archaeology, and ethnography specialists. In 1934 it was evicted from its original premises; the art and industrial departments formed the new State Ukrainian Museum (now the National Art Museum of Ukraine), while other exhibits moved to Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. In 1935 it was renamed the Taras Shevchenko Central Historical Museum. During World War II, the museum was evacuated to the Bashkir Nesterov Art Museum in Ufa, though some exhibits remained in Kyiv. Under Nazi occupation, the Reichsleiter Rosenberg Taskforce packed collections for removal to Germany; some of the most valuable artefacts were transported to Germany in 1941 and 1943, with most trapped in Hochstedt Castle and later sent to the Munich Central Collecting Point before returning to Kyiv in 1947. After liberation by the Soviet Army in November 1943, the museum resumed work and in May 1944 received its present building, opening to visitors in 1948. In 1977 the museum renewed its exposition with modern design largely preserved today. The museum was renamed the National Museum of History of Ukraine in 1991 following Ukrainian independence. It has since mounted exhibitions on the Trypillia culture, the Church of the Tithes, the Holodomor, and the history of jewellery in Ukraine, including in 2008 the exhibition "Ukraine, Sweden: At the Crossroads of History (XVII-XVIII Centuries)".

The museum's collection encompasses more than 800,000 objects spanning from the Lower Paleolithic to the contemporary period. As of January 1, 2020, the main fund contained 628,243 pieces. The holdings are distinguished by their extraordinary breadth across multiple disciplines: world-famous archaeological collections, numismatic collections, ethnographic materials, weapons, examples of decorative and applied arts, manuscripts, prints, paintings, and drawings. A significant portion of the collection consists of relics of the Ukrainian national liberation movement of the 20th century. The museum's collections have also served as the foundation for other institutions; notably, 18,000 items were transferred to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, and approximately 600 exhibits were donated to the Kyiv History Museum.

While specific individual masterpieces are not detailed in the available sources, the museum's notable holdings are defined by the strength and reputation of its departmental collections. The archaeological department, which had reached approximately 15,000 pieces by 1909, forms a core component. The medieval department was established in 1912 following a public appeal by Mykola Bilyashivsky, which brought significant donations including city seals, a bas-relief of the Archangel Michael, and a statue of Themis from the city hall. The numismatic and weapons collections are described as world-famous, and the ethnographic collections represent substantial holdings accumulated through expeditions and exchanges with institutions in Lviv, Odesa, Chernihiv, and other Ukrainian cities. The relics of the Ukrainian national liberation movement of the 20th century constitute a historically significant portion of the holdings.

The museum's current building is located at 2 Volodymyrska Street in the Upper City, the oldest part of Kyiv, in the Shevchenko district. The monument-protected building was constructed between 1937 and 1939 by Soviet architect Joseph Karakis, originally intended to house an arts school. The museum moved into this building in May 1944 and has occupied it since. Nearby landmarks include St. Andrew's Church and the Andrew's Descent leading to Podil. The museum also maintains a branch: the Treasury of the National Museum of Ukrainian History in the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Additionally, an annex was opened at 57 Volodymyrska Street in the Teacher's House, housing the Museum of the Ukrainian Revolution (1917-1921).

The National Historical Museum of Ukraine is situated in central Kyiv, Ukraine, with its main entrance at 2 Volodymyrska Street. The museum is state-owned and operates as one of the leading cultural institutions in the country. Its official website is https://nmiu.org/. The museum offers a virtual tour and maintains a presence on YouTube and Google Arts & Culture. The institution continues to fulfill its role as a major center for historical education and public engagement, building upon its long history of exhibition programming from its 1899 origins through the present day.