The Hlukhiv City Museum of Local Lore tells the history of the town, which from 1708 to 1764 was the capital of the Left-Bank Hetmanate. Hetmans Ivan Skoropadskyi, Pavlo Polubotok, Danylo Apostol, and Kyrylo Rozumovskyi lived and ruled here. The museum is housed in the historic 19th-century building of the former Assembly of Nobility, which is part of the Hlukhiv National Reserve.
Museum Founded by Doroshenko
This is one of the oldest museums of local lore in Ukraine: its collection dates back to September 1902. At that time, the widow of the head of the Nizhyn District Court, N. Shuhurova, handed over a library, engravings, and documents on the history of the region to the Hlukhiv Zemstvo. Zemstvo doctor Petro Doroshenko — later a prominent historian and statesman — became the initiator and main organizer of the museum. Local families such as the Oleksandrovys, Amosovs, Doroshenkos, Neplyuyevs, Skoropadskys, and Tereshchenkos donated their collections to the museum. In the 1920s, furniture, marble, bronze, and porcelain from the Kochubei estate in Yaroslavets and porcelain from Volokytyne were brought here.
Closure and Revival
Before the Second World War, the museum's collection was one of the most valuable in Ukraine; from 1930 to 1941, it was housed in the Anastasiiivskyi Cathedral. However, in 1954 the Soviet authorities closed the museum along with several others and transferred its funds to other institutions. The museum was revived on a voluntary basis only in November 1973, and since 1997 it has been operating as a municipal one. In 2002, the exposition was completely updated, and in 2003 the museum moved to the restored building of the Assembly of Nobility. Part of the lost exhibits was successfully recovered.
Hetman Capital
Hlukhiv became the capital in 1708, after Moscow troops destroyed Baturyn. The General Military Chancellery and the General Court operated here, and after the liquidation of the hetmanate, the Little Russian Collegium. In 2008, the town solemnly celebrated the 300th anniversary of its proclamation as the hetman capital. Today, Hlukhiv is a university town and a theater hub, which holds the title of the historical center of eastern Polissia.
How to Get There
Address: 42 Tereshchenków Street, Hlukhiv. The museum is open from 8:00 to 17:00, closed on Mondays; due to martial law, it is best to check the schedule in advance. Nearby are the Three Anastasias and Saviour-Transfiguration churches.
What to Consider
Hlukhiv lies 15 km from the border with Russia and regularly suffers from shelling. Before your trip, check the security situation and the restrictions of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration.
