Museum of Mountain Ecology and History of Nature Use in the Ukrainian Carpathians

Museum of Mountain Ecology and History of Nature Use in the Ukrainian Carpathians was built by the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve’s administration in the 1990-ths. The idea of the museum designation belongs to the director of the Reserve, Prof. Dr. Fedir Hamor. Basic methodology, decorations and design are made by a senior scientists of the reserve Vasyl Pokynchereda and members of the Ukrainian National Artist Union V. Kikinyov, L. Hurska and K. Kasyanenko.

The museum expositions, which occupy about 1.000 square meters, are composed of two logically combined parts: “Carpathian natural ecosystems” and “History of nature use in the Ukrainian Carpathians”. The first part provides information about the formation process of the Carpathian mountain arch, its geology, geomorphology, basic landscape types, plant and animal world, as well as about mountains taken in a wider respect as a specific natural phenomenon. This part is equipped with an aqua-terrarium, which contains a model of a mountain stream with aquatic and semi-aquatic organisms represented there.

The second part of the exposition is mainly dedicated to the principal practices of nature management in the Ukrainian Carpathians beginning with first settlers who appeared here some 20.000 years ago and to nowadays. Uniqueness and identity of a traditional mountain arable farming, forest management, highland economies and other traditional practices, which constitute an essential part of the Ukrainian highlanders’ heritage, are illustrated here.

In order to make these themes more vivid, various exposition forms and means are used. They are: dioramas, models, waxworks, paintings, panoramas, different exhibits and so on. Here one can see various fossils, zoological and archaeological collections, articles of everyday use and cultural showpieces. The dioramas of the museum are so skillfully made that can be regarded as real masterpieces. They are: “Highland economy”, “Bokorashi” (Timber rafters), “Karst caves”, “Primitive man’s life”, “Hutsul wedding”, “Hutsul house from inside”, “Winter Carpathians” and other.      

Except for that there is a center for ecological education at the museum.

So, if 

• You would like to get maximum information about the nature and ecology of the Carpathians, 

• You are interested in life and culture of highlanders, 

• You still do not know all the details about highland economies and how they produce tasty Hutsul sheep cheese (bryndza), or when the last timber rafting took place in the Carpathians,

you should learn about all these things at the Museum of Mountain Ecology and History of Nature Use in the Ukrainian Carpathians, which is located in Rakhiv at the headquarters of the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve. 

After visiting the museum a wonderful impression will be left inside of your heard for a lifetime.

The museum is open from 8.00 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time every day.

A guided excursion lasts about an hour and a half.

Upon your wish you may see a movie about the area - 24-50 minutes long.

Optimal number of group members – 20-25.

Schoolchildren visit it by a discount price.

3d excursion