Laying new shingles at the open air museum in Lviv. Photo © Maihaugen

Ukraine is Europe’s second largest country in area. Located between Russia and the rest of Europe, Ukraine’s exciting and, at times, dramatic history has been marked by significant cultural influence both from the Western, Russian and Ottoman civilizations. The division between Eastern and Western Ukraine is reflected linguistically, culturally and religiously. The Tatar culture is still kept alive in the Crimea in South Ukraine.

Riksantikvaren, together with the Maihaugen Museum, have recently launched a cooperation project with the Museum for Folk Architecture and Rural Life in Lviv. With a collection of 124 buildings in an area of 58 hectares, the Open Air Museum goes back to the 1930's. 24 farms from 10 ethnographic zones in Western Ukraine and the Carpathians, as well as six unique wooden churches, are located in the museum’s territory. In addition, the museum houses a large collection of icons, textiles and other artefacts.

As in most former Soviet republics, Ukraine struggled with economic decline during the 1990's. Even though Ukraine has experienced economic growth in recent years, in particular in the private sector, the museum’s room for manoeuvre is limited. The museum’s building collection is partially characterised by serious damages; rot, leaking roofs, humidity in the storage rooms and, in general, poor working conditions. Another problem is the lack of craftsmen, as better salaries are provided in the private sector.

The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway and is coordinated with another project run by UNESCO.