The Ukrainian community celebrates the opening of the Ukrainian Pavilion at the World's Fair in Chicago, 1933.

The Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago occupies a vital place in the cultural world of the Ukrainian Diaspora in America. The museum also maintains a reputable position among the other ethnic groups in Chicago. Ukrainian educators and researchers uncover valuable resources in our vast archives. They integrate these materials into their work. Conferences and seminars are held here in cooperation with the Chicago Field Museum.

Our museum was established in 1952. If we turn back to the inception of the Ukrainian National Museum, we see that the founders took their mission seriously. They created a program for the collection of museum artifacts and wrote the by-laws of the organization. Today, our eyes look toward the future, but our foundation continues to be the same one created by our predecessors who dedicated their lives to this important mission.

Throughout the year, approximately 6,000 people visit the Museum, 75% of whom are Americans and visitors from other countries. They come to familiarize themselves with Ukraine’s rich culture and history. Our museum is the perfect place for them to do this since we have one of the most interesting and extensive collections of Ukrainian artifacts in the United States.

The museum was established to create an archive of materials dealing with the Ukrainian immigrants, but constantly emphasized Ukraine, her traditions and the maintenance of her language. The museum has accomplished this difficult goal by preserving the heritage which was carried over the ocean by the winds of the centuries. We are proud of the fact that, owing to a few generations of Ukrainians in Chicago, there is a museum in Chicago that is a worthy representative of Ukraine to the world.