Welcome to the UMA Cleveland! Вітаємо!

UMA mission: To preserve and Share Ukrainian Culture and the Immigrant Experience

Museum

The UMA houses a sophisticated collection of cultural artifacts that are representative of Ukrainian artistic achievements, as well as a collection of unique and original historical documents from Ukraine and from numerous Ukrainian American immigrant communities worldwide. During the past 50 years, the UMA has assembled an astonishingly rich and diverse collection with thousands of rare and unique items, among them:

A diverse collection includes two Alexander Archipenko sculptures and his collection of lithographs entitled Les Formes Vivantes, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, instruments, pysanky, over 1,000 posters, thousands of historical photos, 4,000 postcards, and a phonograph record archive. The library holds over 20,000 Ukrainian and English books, 2,000 periodicals, and historical documents. Religious records date back to the 17th century, with original materials from multiple denominations. The collection also features Ukrainian currency, stamps, Voice of America TV broadcasts, and an extensive Ukrainian typewriter collection.

Open for public tours:
Tuesday – Saturday – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (or by appointment)

Mailing address:
Ukrainian Museum-Archives
1202 Kenilworth Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
United States of America

Tel: 216.781.4329
Web: www.umacleveland.org

Ukrainian Art

The UMA’s Ukrainian art collection includes traditional items such as pysanky (Easter eggs), embroidery, woven textiles, folk costumes, woodcarvings, and ceramics. It also showcases fine art by renowned Ukrainian artists, including Alexander Archipenko, the Krychevsky Family, Lydia Bodnar-Balahutrak, Jacques Hnizdovsky, and Mykhailo Chereshnovsky.

Dmohovsky Photographs

Our exhibit is inspired by Stephan Dmokhovsky’s astonishing photo album. An officer in the Austrian army, a physician and a pioneer in photography, he documented the life of an upper middle class Ukrainian family and their society during the final years of Kaiser Franz-Joseph’s reign on the Hapsburg throne. Please enjoy a sample collection of the album and come to the UMA to see more.

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Hnatiuk Collection

The Hnatiuk family began collecting textiles, ceramics, woodcraft, and other collectibles since the 1950s. In 2009 the Hnatiuk family donated this large collection to the UMA in 2009. This enormous collection includes 450 textiles that were featured in the UMA publication The Hnatiuk Collection: Textiles at the Ukrainian Museum-Archives. A book funded by the Ohio Humanities Council.

Ukrainian Easter Eggs – Pysanky – Online Exhibit

The Ukrainian Easter-egg, known in Ukrainian as “pysanka” (singular; from the Ukrainian verb “pysaty”, meaning “to write”), is one of the most interesting and most unique forms of Ukrainian decorative art. Its history dates back to the distant past of the Ukrainian people and is connected with the pagan ritual of praising the coming of Spring.

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Displaced Persons Camp Exhibit

This exhibit commemorates the 60th anniversary of The Displaced Persons Commission Act signed by President Harry S. Truman on June 25, 1948. More than 100,000 Ukrainians benefited from this act of the 80th Congress of the United States when they immigrated to the United States. These photographs and other materials were exhibited at the UMA in 2008.

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Plast Ukrainian Scout Organization

The UMA has a large tie to the Ukrainian scouting organization Plast. When Ukrainians moved to Tremont following WWII, Plast bought 1202 Kennilworth for the members of their organization to meet. Leonid Bachynsky, a leader in the organization began collecting items and incorporated the UMA in 1952. When Ukrainians and members of Plast moved to Parma, Ohio, the UMA purchased the building and continued adding to the collection. This exhibit highlights many of the items collected about Plast The Dr. Oleksander Tysovskyj, DROT, UMA Collection exhibit focuses on the legacy of Plast's founder, Dr. Oleksander Tysovskyj with photographs and his hand written manuscript, among other items.

Dr. Oleksander Tysovskyj, DROT, UMA Collection

Plast Postcard UMA Collection

Plast other materials

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87th Anniversary of the Holodomor Genocide in Ukraine

Holodomor means murder by starvation and is the word used to describe the horror inflicted by Stalin and his government officials on men, women, and children in a deliberate political policy of extermination by starvation. The 1932-33 Holodomor claimed millions of lives in Ukraine. This exhibit was organized by Ukrainian-American artist Lydia Bodnar Balahutrak.

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Famine Kobzar Online Exhibit

In 1932-33, Ukraine had bountiful crops of grain, yet the country was gripped by famine – the result of Joseph Stalin’s collectivization policy. In order to force people to give up their land to the state, he ordered an army of Communist Party activists to seize grain and other food from Ukraine’s independent farmers.

Ukrainian Embroidery

Needlework occupies an important place among the various branches of Ukrainian decorative art, and remains to this day one of the most widespread hobbies of women and even some men. The UMA has an extensive textile collection. In addition to the 450 pieces of textiles donated by the Hnatiuk family, the UMA also holds 300 pieces collected from members of the UMA community.

Icons at the UMA

In Eastern Christianity, the icon is an important object used to depict divine realities that would otherwise be inexpressible. The original Byzantine style of iconography which serves as the basis and inspiration for Eastern icons today, and Ukrainian icons specifically, began developing in full force during the first half of the IVth century.

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Taras Shevchenko and Ira Aldridge

That Ira Aldridge and Taras Shevchenko would become friends is not very surprising. Both men experienced oppression and discrimination during their lives, but they were both loved for their bold personalities and many accomplishments.

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Have a question?

If you have any questions or are interested in collaborating with us, please feel free to reach out. We’d love to discuss how we can work together or provide additional information. Simply fill out the form, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible to assist with your inquiry.