A Urgent Mission to Safeguard Ukraine's Cultural Treasures at Its Largest Art Museum

As the director of Ukraine’s largest art museum traversed its halls, he oversaw the packing of its treasures to ensure the preservation of national heritage amid fears of a Russian advance to the west.

In one gallery of the Andrey Sheptytsky National Museum, staff carefully wrapped baroque artifacts for relocation. Nearby, a team descended the grand staircase, transporting a large sacred artwork, the 18th-century Bohorodchany iconostasis.

“Sometimes tears come because so much effort has gone into this place. It requires time and dedication. You feel accomplished when creating something meaningful, but today, seeing empty walls brings a sense of loss and sadness. We didn’t truly believe this could happen until the very end,” museum director Ihor Kozhan shared on Friday.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the doors of the museum in Lviv have remained shut, with cultural heritage sites nationwide under threat as conflict persists. Kozhan noted he receives daily offers of assistance from European cultural institutions as he and his team strive to protect the museum’s treasures.

Anna Naurobska, head of the rare manuscripts and books division, expressed her uncertainty about where to securely store the collection of over 12,000 items now being packed away.

The daunting task of relocating the collection, coupled with the anxiety of potential threats from an attack on the city, weighs heavily on her.

“This represents our story; it is our life. It means everything to us,” Naurobska stated.

Entering another room, she lifted a large book, her eyes welling up. “It’s a Russian book,” she said, returning it to the shelf. “I’m so filled with anger.”

Similar to the museum, other cultural sites in Lviv are hastening efforts to safeguard their artistic treasures. The display cases at the Museum of the History of Religion are nearly bare. Workers are constructing metal containers in the courtyard to securely store remaining artifacts before moving them to basements. At the Latin Cathedral, sculptures are shielded with cardboard, foam, and plastic to guard against potential shrapnel.

Surrounded by empty walls and covered sculptures, Kozhan expressed sorrow for the vacant museum, which has withstood two world wars.

“The museum must thrive. It needs to be filled with people, especially children. They must grasp the fundamentals of their culture,” he remarked.