Shevchenkivskyi Hai Park Museum, Lviv

The Shevchenkivskyi Hai Park Museum, also known as the Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life, offers a clear window into the traditional rural life of western Ukraine, set within a wooded landscape on the northeastern edge of Lviv’s historic centre. Established in the mid-20th century as an open-air museum, it brings together dozens of wooden structures relocated from villages across the region. The site reflects the cultural diversity of the Carpathian foothills, where Ukrainian, Hutsul, Lemko, and Boyko communities shaped distinctive forms of craftsmanship and domestic architecture.

Many visitors arrive with an interest in the museum’s wooden churches, which are among its most striking features. These include finely proportioned timber structures with shingled roofs, tiered domes, and hand-carved iconostases. Their careful placement throughout the park allows each building to retain a sense of its original context, supported by footpaths that wind through groves of pine and oak. The churches sit alongside farmsteads, cottage interiors, workshops, and seasonal buildings that illustrate the everyday rhythms of village life.

In contrast to urban museums, Shevchenkivskyi Hai emphasises atmosphere and immersion. Each house and outbuilding is furnished with tools, textiles, and household objects typical of the region, offering insight into social customs, agricultural practices, and family traditions. The variety of architectural details—such as notched log walls, clay ovens, and carved door lintels—highlights the resourcefulness of rural builders who adapted to local materials and climate.

Visitors also encounter small exhibitions and occasional demonstrations that explain how crafts such as weaving, pottery, and blacksmithing shaped local economies. Combined with the natural setting, these elements make the museum a calm and informative space for learning about the cultural heritage of western Ukraine.