We would like to welcome you to The Regional Museum of Folk Architecture and Life from Chernivtsi.

We extend to you the invitation to visit an old village from Bucovina, following the tourism route “Folk architecture and the life of rural population from Northern Bucovina between the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.” Before starting our trip, we would like to specify that the museum in which you are now is an outdoor museum (scansen). The specific feature of such a museum is the display of folk exhibits in an appropriate natural environment.

The idea of setting up such a museum appeared at the beginning of the 19th century.

The first museum which reconstituted old settlements was set up in 1891 in Sweden by the Swedish ethnographer Artur Hazelius. This museum was located in a mountainous area called Scansen (this name was subsequently given to all outdoor museums).

The idea to set up such an institution was discussed as early as 1906, at the scientific reunions from Salzburg (Austria). In the 30s, a Hutsuls house, including a sculpted gate, was placed in the suburbs of Chernivtsi, at the foot of Ţeţena hill. These were the first architectural exhibits of the folk museum. Unfortunately, a fire broke out and the museum was destroyed from the beginning. Only the gate – which is shown later on our tour – was saved.

In Ukraine, the first museum of this type appeared in Pereiaslav Hmelniţki town, in 1964; later on, other museums were set up in Keiv (Kiev), Livov, Ujgorod, in Precarpathia, close to the town of Halici. Our museum was set up in 1977, but it was open for visitation only in 1986.

The current collection of the museum is arranged according to the principle of ethno-geographical representation (on ethno-geographical regions) and includes 35 architectural objects and over 1500 ethnographical exhibits. These architectural objects and exhibits are concentrated in two exhibition areas: Hotenşcina (Hotin) and„West-Dniester”, stretching on a 9-hectar area. The future development of the museum includes the creation of two more exhibition areas: – Precarpathia and Huţulşcina. Moreover, the historical reconstitution of some old constructions, which will make up for the exhibition area „Old Bucovina” is considered. At present, the museum includes an area of 16 hectares, and the Storage Collection comprises over 8000 ethnographic exhibits.

The museum invites travel agencies, educational institutions, creative groups, and all interested people to cooperate!