NEWS AND VIEWS Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago set to expand facilities (09/16/01)

NEWS AND VIEWS

Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago set to expand facilities

by Irene Artiushenko

CHICAGO - The majority of visitors to the Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago are non-Ukrainians, and their comments in the museum's guestbook convey the positive impressions they take away with them after viewing the exhibits. Their knowledge of Ukraine is enriched and they become ambassadors for the Ukrainian culture and heritage.

The museum - which will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary - is currently in a state of expansion funded by a special grant received from the state of Illinois. The architect for the project is Chicagoan Joseph Mycyk. Construction officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony held this spring.

The board of directors of the museum has planned an ambitious agenda of programs during this anniversary year. During the summer, informational packets about Ukraine were distributed at the convention of the American Teachers Federation at the Navy Pier. In conjunction with the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Ukrainian independence, folk art, including embroidery and inlayed woodcuts were on display at the State of Illinois Building.

Precious icons from the 16th and 17th centuries, on loan from the Honchar Museum in Ukraine, will be on display at the Museum in November. A fund-raising banquet supporting the museum's expansion will be held on Sunday October 7, kicking off a gala 50th anniversary celebration of the Ukrainian National Museum in 2002. In December costumes from the 9th and 10th centuries of Kyivan-Rus' will be spotlighted at the museum; this exhibit will be arranged from the collection of Anna Kulchycky.

The most ambitious project planned by the Ukrainian National Museum in Chicago is the collection of photos and memorabilia from the life of Ukrainians in the displaced persons camps in Germany as well as the Galicia Division prisoner of war camp in Rimini, Italy. The years after World War II were painful and uncertain for Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homeland, and organizers believe an exhibit documenting this time period will be invaluable to future generations.

In order to make this project a reality, the museum directors are asking for the community's assistance. Anyone who has photos from this post-war period is asked to submit them to the museum. Young people in particular are asked to pay particular attention to the photos that they may be inclined to throw away when rummaging through the house of a parent or grandparent. Those old photos may document a part of history and be valuable in the museum's archives.

Contributors are asked to provide as much information as possible concerning the photos, including the year and place the photos were taken and the names of persons photographed, and send them to the Ukrainian National Museum, 721 N. Oakley Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612.

The museum directors also are encouraging all those interested in Ukraine and its culture to become museum members and to support the museum's programs and events.

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