What will happen to the museum in Pyrohiv?

The unique outdoor architectural and landscape complex is experiencing hard times. Today the museum includes 289 architectural monuments (about a quarter of them are in need of restoration). The Kyiv City Council refuses to allocate money for renovation and reconstruction, while the museum is being surrounded by new building projects (during the last three years, 28 plots were alloted to developers). Employees of the architectural and landscape complex in Pyrohiv raised the alarm and confidently declared that such actions on the part of officials can lead to the death of the outdoor museum, whose size is unparalleled not only in Ukraine, but in the whole of Europe.

“From 2006 to 2008, the City Council alloted 28 land plots to developers,” fumes Pavlo Fedaka, director of the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Everyday Life. “Initially, they were allocated for agricultural use. Later we discovered that the plots’ owners already have construction permits. If they build high-rise buildings, and one such building is almost ready, it would mean the end of the Pyrohiv Museum! Our complex’s main attraction is its unique environment. Nothing similar exists anywhere else in Europe, but authorities do not appreciate what we have!”

It turns out that the museum conservation zone limits are unmarked. Demarcation projects were drawn up more than once, but the documents were never approved. The latest project was agreed on by the Ministry for Regional Development and Building and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. However, it is being considered by Kyiv’s chief architect for eight months already, and the final verdict is still pending, according to the news.bigmir.net website.

“The 1.5 ha plot near the Museum was allocated to an equestrian sports complex,” says Oleksandr Lutsky, former Deputy Mayor of Kyiv in charge of land issues. “There are also plots near Pyrohiv that are assigned for agricultural use, but nobody re-allocated any plots for development. Moreover, is Pyrohiv really that short of land? They have a huge area, over 130 hectares, but they do not cultivate it. I don’t know why. They are constantly fighting for a buffer zone, but why do they need it? There will be no buildings near the Museum. It is like a sacred cow. All these protests are just politicking aimed at discrediting the Kyiv authorities.”

Meanwhile, acting chairman of the Kyiv City State Administration Oleksandr Popov says:

“There are many allocated plots whose legality is now being questioned. We believe that some decisions were taken in violation of the law. I can not specifically talk about the Museum, as investigations are under way. I will need a month’s time to comment on the situation surrounding this object.”

Another problem, according to the Museum’s director, is the lack of financing.

“The state budget ceased to fund restoration and repair work in 2009, and we have not received a penny in 2010,” says Pavlo Fedaka. “In 2006 through 2008, the state program operated, and we were provided with 3 to 4 million hryvnias every year. That amount, of course, was not enough, but it was at least something. Today, we are doing many small tasks with our own resources. However, we were only able to restore two architectural monuments last year. We received the money from the Development of Ukraine Foundation (funded by Rinat Akhmetov). This year they promise to allocate money for the restoration of three more monuments.”

Furthermore, the number of people who are able to restore old huts is dwindling. To resolve this problem, Mr. Fedaka intends to establish a special school where old masters would teach students, and thus increase the number of professionals. At the same time, the museum director said that only thanks to entrance fees and other services charged by the Museum, is its staff “somehow able to keep the Museum alive.”