Collections

The foundations for Franko Museum collection were laid down by the Shevchenko Scientific Society in Lviv, which in 1920s reсreated the interior of the study of the renowned writer and Society member. When Franko Museum was opened in his own house in 1940, the collection of the newly created institution had less than 300 items. Today the primary collection has 33,000 items and auxiliary scientific collection has over 5,000 items. These include the writer's personal documents, original pictures, manuscripts, first publications of his works, memories of friends and acquaintances, publications of Franko's works in different languages of the world, Franko Studies papers, portraits of the Kamenyar made during his lifetime, illustrations for his works.

The core of the museum collection is made of personal effects of the writer and his relatives (the list of most valuable and most interesting items is presented in the EXHIBITS section), original pictures, different documents connected to Ivan Franko’s activities and commemoration of his personality, manuscripts, unique works of art. These include painted portraits of Ivan Franko by I. Trush, Z. Pavliukh, F. Krasytskyi; graphic portraits and illustrations for his works by O. Kulchytska, V. Kasian, P. Kovzhun, M. Zhuk, L. Levytskyi, D. Hrynets, S. Karaffa-Korbut, A. Bazylevych, S. Adamovych, Z. Ketsal, P. Obal, S. Koropchak, M. Kurylych, I. Ostafiychuk. Ye. Beznisko, I. Kryslach. I. Pleskanka, I. Ovchynnykov, M. Yatsiv: sculptures by S. Lytvynenko, I. Severa, Ye. Dzyndra, D. Krvavych.

Museum book collections has more than 13,000 of exhibits divided into several groups:

  • first prints of Ivan Franko's works,

  • Franko Studies papers published in his lifetime (before 1916),

  • contemporary Franko Studies literature,

  • publications of Franko's works of different years (including multi-volume edition),

  • first editions of the works by Ukrainian writers-Franko's contemporaries,

  • European books, published in the 18th - early 20th century,

  • periodicals (including, Zorya, Zhytie i Slovo, Narod, LNV, Papers of the Shevchenko Scientific Society where Franko was involved as an editor).

All these exhibits are used to form displays, create exhibitions as well as for research purposes.

As part of the museum collection personal collections of the renowned cultural figures and writers have been set up, such as Stanislav Liudkevych, Stefan Kovaliv, Iryna Vilde, Ivan Kernytskyi and others.

The museum collections have recently been supplemented by items belonging to Ukrainian writer and public figure Roman Ivanychuk.

Museum collections have been enriched by our contemporary Dmytro Pavlychko who gifted his own manuscripts and books with autographs.

Auxiliary scientific funds are used for permanent display and exhibitions as supporting illustrative and informational material (models, household items – cloth, cutlery, furniture, elements of interior).