Architecture museum opens in Kyiv

A ceremony marking the opening of the Museum of Architecture, Ukraine’s first, and the completion of the first phase of restoring the famous Metropolitan’s Residence was held at the St. Sophia National Preserve.

The launch of these cultural monuments is the result of efforts undertaken by the state and the Charitable Foundation SKM “Development of Ukraine.” First Deputy Minister of Construction, Architecture and Housing-Utilities Management Anatolii Berkuta noted that the charitable foundation shouldered the bulk of the expenses. As of Oct. 1, 2006, 15 million hryvnias were allocated, of which 14,673,736 hryvnias have been spent. “Fifteen million is a large sum, even though the restoration project requires 30 million. We hope that a number of philanthropists will join us, because this is a worthy project,” the deputy minister noted.

Money is not the whole picture. Anatolii Zabolotny, the director of the charitable foundation, says that paying for repairing the walls is not enough; new life has to be breathed into the premises. “We are trying to help St. Sophia switch from survival mode to a strategy for progress. We have initiated the creation of a board of trustees and are helping the preserve’s administration shape up its fundraising strategy. We are trying to put together a concerned citizens’ group, something like The Friends of St. Sophia, Zabolotny said, adding that people who really care — ordinary people, not just art patrons — should be members of this club, because this is also important for the museum.

After restoring the Metropolitan’s Residence, an architectural site dating to the 18 th century, the administration of Kyiv’s St. Sophia Preserve plans to use the premises to host top-level official meetings and exhibits, and to provide space for a graphic arts school that will help popularize Ukrainian architecture.