Museum of Natural History — Lviv — Traveling in the Carpathians / Ukraine / Lviv region / Lviv and surroundings

The Museum of Natural History

Description:

The exposition is located in a building which is recognized as an architectural monument of national value — Didushytsky Palace (late 18th century).
The history of the museum is believed to start 12 December, 1868, when that kamyanytsya (building made of stone) was bought by Count Volodymyr Didyshytsky (seller — Alfred Gaussner), a famous scientist and public figure. Before that, the owners of the building had been constantly changing, and it even had a chance to function as a casino in 1847.
In 1870 the count opened here to the public his private natural history collection, which was listed in european and other international catalogues. Didyshytsky participated in earliest World Exhibitions in Vienna (1873) and Paris (1878) winning diplomas and medals. After having been brought in order (1870), the exposition became available for tours, and later (13 August, 1871) the visitors' book was introduced. In 1873 the museum worked once a week. However, the official date of the museum's opening is thought to be 1870, when the exposition was installed for the first time and the visitors started to be welcomed.

Within the lifetime of V. Didushytsky, the exposition consisted of seven sections:

zoological;
paleontological;
mineralogical
geological;
botanic;
archaeological;
ethnographic.

The museum was granted to the public 10 September, 1880, and it was also provided with a lifetime finacial support (12 thousand kroons a year). This decision was documented by the patron himself in 'Ordynatsiya Potorytska', the legally formed will approved 20 December 1893 by the Parlament of Vienna. In the document the official name of the museum was also stated as 'The Didushytskys Natural History Museum'. After the death of Volodymyr Didushytsky, Tadeush Didushitsky became the museum's patron (untill 1905).

There's a temorary exhibition 'The Art of Survival' is being put on display these days.
Still, the local exhibition is being actively formed and constantly inproved. The museum also became a regular place for cutural events and workshops for visitors of all ages.