VITA ANTIQUA ISSN 2522-9419 (Online), 2519-4542 (Print)
Center for Paleoethnological Research
VITA ANTIQUA 14, 2023, CULTURE HERITAGE AND THE WAR : CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Olena Kliushnychenko¹
Challenges of War for Museums in Ukraine
¹Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
¹ORCID: 0009-0001-2454-1851
DOI: 10.37098/VA-2023-14-60-71
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2023-14-60-71
ABSTRACT
Having analyzed the challenges faced by Ukrainian museums during the war, we can conclude that the war has created a number of difficulties for the preservation and exhibition of cultural heritage. Destruction of infrastructure, displacement of population, and lack of funding are some of the main challenges faced by museums in Ukraine. Ongoing violence and instability also make it difficult for museums to operate and continue their important cultural activities. Despite these challenges, many museums in Ukraine continue to strive to preserve their heritage and showcase their cultural history to the world. It is important that the international community supports these efforts by providing funding and resources to help these museums thrive in the face of the conflict, as the ongoing hostilities have also made it difficult for museums to acquire new exhibits or preserve existing ones, as funding is often diverted to other pressing issues.
Despite these challenges, museums in Ukraine continue to play a vital role in preserving the country's cultural heritage. They serve as important repositories of historical knowledge and provide opportunities for the public to appreciate and learn about Ukraine's rich cultural heritage. With proper support and resources, Ukrainian museums can continue to thrive and contribute to the country's cultural development.
The preservation of cultural artifacts during the war is extremely important for museums in Ukraine. Not only are these artifacts important to the country's cultural heritage, but they also serve as reminders of its past, present, and future. They can also play a crucial role in the post-war reconstruction process, providing a sense of unity and preserving the population's own identity. In addition, cultural artifacts often have significant economic value, contributing to the development of an important tourism industry. Therefore, museums in Ukraine should make every effort to protect their collections, even during wartime, as they are an invaluable part of Ukraine's national identity and history.
Key words: museum, war, protection of museum institutions, "museum front", artifact.
Language: Ukrainian
PDFCite as:
Kliushnychenko, O.V. 2023. Challenges of war for museums in Ukraine. VITA ANTIQUA, 14. Culture Heritage and the War : challenges and solutions.
References:
Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954). Official web portal of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_001-99#Text.
Zakon Ukrainy «Pro okhoronu arkheolohichnoi spadshchyny» (On the protection of archaeological heritage). Official web portal of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1626-15#Text
Zakon Ukrainy «Pro okhoronu kulturnoi spadshchyny» (On the protection of cultural heritage). Official web portal of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1805-14#Text.
Katargina, T.I., 2018. International Council on Monuments and Sites. Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://esu.com.ua/article-65129.
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Official web portal of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_089#Text.
Kotubey, O. 2022. The guard and his wife were taken out under fire: how Maria Prymachenko's paintings were saved in Ivankiv. Suspilne Novyny (in Ukrainian). Access mode:https://suspilne.media/227799-ohoronec-z-druzinou-vinesli-pid-obstrilami-ak-vratuvali-polotna-marii-primacenko-v-ivankovi/.
Museum "Territory of Terror" (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://museumterror.com/
National Museum of History of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://nmiu.org/
Palienko, M. 2022. Ukrainski arkhivy, viina i zberezhennia natsionalnoi identychnosti (Ukrainian archives, war and preservation of national identity). Arhivi Ukraïni, Issue 1, No. 330 (2022) (in Ukrainian), https://doi.org/10.47315/archives2022.330.012.
Suspilne. 2022. Russian military loots museums and private collections in Kherson region, stolen goods are taken to Crimea - GUR. Suspilne Novyny (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://suspilne.media/240552-vijskovi-rf-grabuut-muzei-ta-privatni-kolekcii-na-hersonsini-vikradene-vivozat-do-krimu-gur/
Telizhenko, S., 2020. Arkheolohichni pamiatky i viina (Archaeological sites and the war). Kyiv: Union of Archaeologists of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). https://www.academia.edu/77162779/.
BBC News Ukraine. 2022. Destruction of the Skovoroda Museum. Ukrainians compare Russia to ISIS and call for expulsion from UNESCO (in Ukrainian). Access mode: https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news-61362020.
Because of Russian aggression, 1,464 objects of cultural infrastructure have already been damaged in Ukraine. Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. Access mode: https://mkip.gov.ua/news/9129.html.