The Ukrainian National Museum (UNM) of Chicago

The Ukrainian National Museum (UNM) was founded in 1952 by post-World War II immigrants from German DP camps intent on preserving their history and heritage. 

Julian Kamenetcky, Olexa Hankewych, and Orest Horodyskyj opened the museum. The UNM presidents were Myroslav Simynovycz (1954-1967), Elias Mula (1967-1970), Roman Weres(1970-1980), Emilian Basiuk (1980-1988), George Hrycelak (1988-2000), and Jaroslaw Hankewych (2000-2014). Lydia Tkaczuk, the current president, has served in this role since 2014.

Today, over 100,000 historical, archival, and cultural documents and artifacts and over 25,000 books are a part of the UNM collection.

Preserved vintage folk costumes, colorful Easter eggs, Kozak weaponry, Genocide documentation, and philately collections have mesmerized visitors for hours. The 1933 Century of Progress collection, the DP artifact collection, the US Veterans exhibit, and Illinois State Senator Walter Dudycz’s room have inspired discussions and debates worthy of doctoral dissertations. 

The museum keeps a unique collection of Ukrainian phaleristics and relics of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, donated to the museum by George Sas-Podlusky.

President   ─ Lydia Tkaczuk