Museum “reawakened”

Ukrainians are growing more interested in their own history, as more and more enthusiasts have recently been trying to develop small local museums. Den has already covered many of these efforts, such as one involving the museum in the village of Kamianka, Donetsk region (No. 110, June 27, 2013). Another addition to the list is reopening of the Glorious Military and Industrial History Museum in the town of Lidiivka, Donetsk region on September 4.

Deputy director of the local palace of culture Maria Yevseieva, who has assumed responsibility for the museum housed in the palace, told us: “It opened on November 6, 1968 with all-volunteer staff, founded by the Lidiivka Mine Communist party boss Volodymyr Zhmykhov. The institution became municipal property in 2003, and did not function from 2003 until 2013.”

“Reawakening” of the museum was initiated by activists of the “Donetsk: History, Events, Facts” project. “I have long been interested in this institution. Firstly, it touches upon the topic of relations between the USSR and the US, as an American miner called John Pinter worked at the local mine. In addition, my famous namesake Herasym Lapin lived in Lidiivka. I first came to the museum in 2007, and it immediately struck me as unique, but unfortunately, I could not find any common ground with the head of the town council,” a project leader Denys Lapin said. However, director of the Lidiivka Palace of Culture Valentyna Tsurhan obtained the council’s approval for transferring management of the museum to her institution in 2012, and they began updating the exposition.

During the decade-long hiatus, the first curator of the museum Lidia Verbytska kept safe a lot of the exhibits. “During the museum’s founding years, I was a freelance correspondent for the local newspaper and used my press ID to gain access to every house and collect materials. We did everything on our own: for instance, these wall frescoes have been brought here by the town’s chief librarian,” Verbytska showed us. According to the veteran museum worker, the institution has become closer to the public today, unlike in the Soviet times, when the regional museum dictated the structure of exposition, while visitors might not touch exhibits.

While small, the museum can boast of great attractions. As we have already mentioned, Lidiivka resident Herasym Lapin’s life is a prominent topic for the institution. This native of Siberia joined 17 fellow soldiers of his regiment in fighting several hundred Germans in September 1943; he survived and became the hero of the song “On the Unnamed Height.” The museum has many stands devoted to famed soldiers and miners, and preserves unique materials about prominent townspeople, allowing Verbytska to satisfy the curiosity of many authors and screenwriters who came to the institution in search of interesting stories over the years.

Locals love their “oasis of history.” Tsurhan stated: “While the museum was closed, people brought medals and other memorabilia to Verbytska, asking her to preserve them.” The institution has not received any public money, and all its funding and new exhibits have been contributed by local activists.

It has turned out that the new old museum is not the only one in Lidiivka. Chair of the local veterans council Oleksandr Kravtsov surprised us by telling that “there are actually three museums in the town, with remaining two set up at schools, and one of these latter is called ‘model museum.’”

Numbers of small museums are growing in Donetsk region, with the Kamianka museum joined by the Environment History Museum in the village of Oleksandro-Kalynove. This latter was restored in 2011 by the local club “Aeneid.” “The entire village joined forces and collected exhibits in just two weeks. Visitors may touch everything. The museum is an active institution, having been visited by about 2,500 people over the past two years and hosting festivals, folk parties, and seminars. We have agreements with travel agencies who bring tourists here, for example, from Sloviansk,” the Aeneid’s chair Andrii Taraman told us excitedly.

Denys Lapin agreed that small museum had its advantages: “One may touch exhibits, take pictures for free, and no one will reprove you. Some of the exhibits we have here on display would be unlikely to make it to the exposition in a large museum. For example, miners’ awards are of this kind, but the public interest in them is present as well. The institution has a local flavor that attracts visitors,” Lapin maintained.

The museum in Lidiivka is preparing to celebrate its 45th anniversary: “We plan to open another museum room and want to appeal to the citizens to bring more exhibits. Our goal is to obtain the title of ‘model museum’ first, and ‘people’s museum’ later on,” Tsurhan said revealing her plans.

My journey from the museum to the bus stop went through the Lidiivka Mine. Against all odds, a shamelessly huge yellow flower had grown in the coal heap. Small museums can be just as surprising and educating for their visitors, but they need active participation on the public’s part to thrive.