National Art Museum of Ukraine, State art museum in central Kyiv, Ukraine.
The National Art Museum of Ukraine is a state art museum in central Kyiv that holds around 40,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, and graphic art by Ukrainian creators. The collection is organized into three main sections that cover different periods and styles of Ukrainian art.
The museum opened on December 30, 1904, as the Kyiv Art-Industrial and Scientific Museum under the patronage of Emperor Nicholas II. Over the course of the 20th century, the institution changed its name several times and eventually became the national museum for Ukrainian art.
Religious icons from the 12th century are among the oldest works on display and trace the development of sacred art in the region over several centuries. Visitors can also see many pieces by national poet Taras Shevchenko, who worked as a painter in addition to his literary career.
The museum welcomes visitors from Wednesday through Sunday, while it remains closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The rooms are spread across several floors, so it helps to allow enough time to walk through the different sections.
The neoclassical facade displays concrete lions and gryphon sculptures created by Italian artist Emilio Sala for the entrance area. These figures frame the main doorway and are among the few surviving original decorations from the early 20th century.
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