Exhibitions
Praying for the army

The exhibition tells the story of chaplaincy activities in Ukraine – a sincere spiritual service capable of supporting soldiers in difficult times, providing solace, and sometimes even saving lives. Today, more than 200 military chaplains serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. They wear uniforms and hold not only religious ranks but also military titles. Military chaplains possess military skills, knowledge of security measures, and various types of weaponry, although they do not carry weapons themselves.

The exhibition features 15 personal profiles of military chaplains, including those who recently received mandates and signed contracts with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as those who have been volunteering to bring God's word to the frontlines since 2014. Three of the represented chaplains have passed away – Father Maksym Kozachyna and Father Oleh Marinchenko were killed by the enemy, and Father Marian Dyus died of severe illness.

The exhibition is created on an interfaith principle, allowing visitors to become acquainted with the stories of military chaplains from different religious denominations, including the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine, Protestants – Baptists and Pentecostals, imam-chaplains, and the only Jewish chaplain in Ukraine.

The motivational banner of the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a symbol of the interfaith service. That is why the motto “To be near” is written in Ukrainian, Arabic and Hebrew. The symbols – motivational banner, sleeve badge, and coin – contain nine silver rays converging at the top on a blue field, symbolizing the rays of God's grace.

Chaplains are an integral part of our state's defense and are warriors thanks to whom Ukraine will achieve victory.

Redefinition

The Soviet coat of arms, removed from the shield of the "Motherland" monument, is now a museum artifact. The replacement of symbols on the highest sculpture in Europe became the most noticeable moment of the decommunization processes in our society and redefinition of the entire Memorial complex. This summer, by the 32nd anniversary of the Independence of Ukraine, we succeeded in what seemed to be impossible for decades – freed ourselves from the symbol of totalitarianism and oppression. Now this outdated coat of arms is a part of our history, but it no longer defines our present.

Our Treasury

The project highlights nationwide social initiatives and charitable campaigns initiated and implemented by the State Treasury Service of Ukraine. Specifically the all-Ukrainian campaign "Let us unite Ukraine", all-Ukrainian charitable treasury initiatives: "Each of us is a magician", "Become a guardian angel for the children of war". The exhibition "Our Treasury" reflects the inexhaustible creative potential of the great treasury family.

Threat from the sky

A project-warning about the danger posed to Ukrainians by the enemy drones, which are targeting defense forces, civilian objects, including critical, economic, socio-cultural infrastructure, etc.

At the same time, it serves as a reminder of the need to help Ukrainian defenders, specifically, to provide them with the latest means of detecting and destroying targets, among which UAVs play an increasingly important role. The exhibition presents various types of unmanned aerial vehicles used by Russian aggressors for reconnaissance and defeating ground targets.

Guerre en Ukraine
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The War Museum presents an exhibition of works by French street artist Christian Gami, known as C215, entitled "Guerre en Ukraine" ("War in Ukraine" in French).

The exhibition presents the latest works of the artist, which were created in Ukraine as reflections on the cruelty of Russia and the bravery of our people in the struggle for freedom.

This is a specially created series of images of Defenders, who gave their lives protecting Ukraine. Men and women, old and young, famous and less known, these portraits were painted by Christian Gami and complemented by authentic items from the War Museum’s collection that belonged to these soldiers.

Steel titans of Bakhmut

The fierce fights for the city of Bakhmut with the big losses of both sides are called the bloodiest infantry battle since World War II. They go on since August 1, 2022 until now. The Bakhmut bridgehead is in the focus of news, TV reports, newspapers of the Ukrainian and global press.

During the hostilities, the city suffered an incredible number of artillery strikes, bombardments, human and material losses, enemy storm and partial occupation.

The Ukrainian army near Bakhmut eliminates the russian forces, giving them no opportunities to launch offensive in other directions. In May 2023, the international experts estimated the five-month casualties of russia as more than 100,000 military.

The defense forces continue the offensive actions in the Bakhmut direction and strengthen their new bridgeheads. Only during the summer counter-offensive, more than 60 sq. km have been liberated. The blue-and-yellow flags have been already raised over the villages of Klishchiivka and Andriivka. Each recaptured meter reflects an incredible cost of its return and strategic importance of the city.

Every day the frontline changes, and the day will come when Ukraine’s flags are flying over Bakhmut again. During the display of the exhibition, we will try to show these changes.

The temporary exposition focuses on the personal complexes of the city defenders, the real giants of steel, thanks to whom the ballad of Bakhmut will go down in the world history as one of the largest and most intense battles of the early 21st century. The Ukrainian fighters force the enemy to bleed, undermine its combat capabilities and break its morale. All this is achieved by the unbelievable efforts, under bad weather conditions, with the supply problems and under the permanent fire. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian heroes fiercely resist to the total evil and risk their own lives in the fight for freedom of their homeland. Their feat cannot be overestimated.

For the first time in the same exposition venue, the photographs from the battle of Bakhmut are presented, being received from the press service officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Border Service of Ukraine. Every day, despite the risks and obstacles, they tirelessly save our history for the future generations.

However, now the fortress of Bakhmut has already become the symbol of fortitude of the Ukrainian army.

Glory to Ukraine! Glory to heroes!

Exhibition “Sign on the Shield”

This museum exhibition is organized in the tight connection with the nationwide project “Trident of the Motherland”, which is purposed for replacement of the Soviet symbols on the shield of the Motherland Monument with the Ukrainian state symbol of Trident. In broader context, the exhibition resounds with the general reinterpretation of the War Museum and the monument as its dominant object.

In the exhibition space, over 200 authentic artifacts are displayed, covering more than a millennial period of Ukraine’s history. The exposition reveals the most interesting facts from the Trident history, draws attention to the most important stages of its evolving into the state coat of arms. This is a peculiar response to the actual public questions related to the reproduction of the Trident on the shield. It highlights the connection of this process with renaming of the Motherland Monument and the Museum in general.

Especially for this project, the Museum has prepared the new exposition space in the Exhibition Center that consists of three halls. Each of them contains the relevant chapter of the exhibition.

Chapter “State Sign” is dedicated to the past of the Trident as a dynasty sign of the Kyiv princes, as well as the establishment of the sign of Prince Volodymyr the Great in the high status of the State Coat of Arms of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. A hereditary link between statehood symbols of the princes’ age and the period of the Ukrainian state building in the early 20th century is emphasized.

Chapter “National Symbol” reveals the distinct tradition of the national sign usage in the folk life of the Ukrainians between the First and Second World Wars. Through depictions of the Trident in the interwar Ukrainian decorative art, the role of the sign in forming and strengthening of Ukrainian people’s national identity is highlighted.

Chapter “Sign on the Shield” illustrates the essence of the monuments’ reinterpretation and reveals the preconditions of this process, as well as connection of the actual historical time with the centuries-long heraldic tradition.

Exhibition “Ukraine – Crucifixion”

“Ukraine – Crucifixion” is the first-ever exhibition in Ukraine and around the world about the ongoing war and in the time of the ongoing war. It contains 1 776 authentic exhibits, collected by the Museum’s team without delay in the areas of hostilities and the newly liberated settlements of the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions from April 3 to May 6, 2022. Exhibition’s total area is approximately 900 square meters. Idea and curation by Yurii Savchuk, the Director General of the War Museum. Designer is Anton Logov.

The exhibition consists of the two antagonistic chapters – “Horde” and “Ukraine – Crucifixion”.

The first part briefly reveals the Russian propaganda, the full-scale invasion, and displays the military equipment, armament and the everyday-life items of the invaders from the “Russian world”.

The second chapter of the exhibition has two locations: “Ukraine – Crucifixion” and “Shelter”. The first one is based on the preserved spiritual and cultural objects, burnt window frames, remains of the house electronics and even training equipment, discovered on the ashes, as well as the children’s things, drawings and toys... The dominant core includes the saved treasures of the Ukrainian Nation: the entrance gate of the Virgin Mary Nativity Church in the village of Peremoha, the dome and the crucifix from the Jesus Ascension Church in the village of Lukianivka, Kyiv region, the damaged icon “Descent from the Cross” from the ruined St. Dimitry of Rostov Temple (town of Makariv), the destroyed carcass of the wall, on which the paintings of the world-famous artist Maria Pryimachenko were displayed in the burnt Ivankiv Regional History Museum... The second part reconstructs in details the realities of the Life and Time in different shelters under the shelling and bombardment by the hordes, and reveals 37 days of life in one of the Hostomel shelters... In the smallest details...

The exhibition is especially popular among the Museum’s visitors and attractive for the medias. By June 7, 2022, 7 812 visitors had seen it, 63 media publications, reviews, comments, covers and interviews on it had been prepared, in particular, in the leading international press The New York Times (USA), The Guardian (United Kingdom) and Le Monde (France).