Pysanka Museum

The current Pysanka Museum building was built in 2000 in the western Ukrainian city of Kolomyia, Ivano-Frankivska Oblast. Previously the pysanka collection had been housed in a church building in the area.

The central part of the museum is in the shape of a pysanka (Ukrainian Easter egg). This is the only museum in the world dedicated to the pysanka, and it has become a calling card of the city. In August 2007 the museum was recognized as a landmark of modern Ukraine.

The museum is not only shaped like an egg , but parts of the exterior of and inside of the dome are painted to resemble a pysanka.

At this time, the museum possesses a collection of over 10,000 pysanky. The permanent collection includes pysanky from the majority of the oblasts of Ukraine. Many are modern re-creations of traditional designs, but there is also a fine collection of older pysanky from the Ivano-Frankivsk region that date from the 19th and 20th centuries.

There are many examples of both pysanky and other forms of decorated eggs from other Slavic countries (Belarus, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania) and more distant lands (Sweden, USA, Canada, France, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India).

The museum also presents temporary exhibitions in its galleries. These are usually related to the pysanka and Hutsul Easter traditions, but can also encompass other folk crafts. There are often photographic exhibitions.