Ukrainian National Chornobyl Museum

A serious, unglossed museum about the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster, in a former fire station in Podil. Three floors of artefacts, photographs, and personal effects tell the story of the explosion, the evacuation of Pripyat, and the long aftermath. The exhibits are largely in Ukrainian; the audio guide (available in English) is essential.

Allow at least 90 minutes. The Soviet kindergarten dolls and the abandoned children's toys recovered from the exclusion zone are among the most affecting objects in any museum in Kyiv.

things to do museum
A story
The museum opened on the fifth anniversary of the 1986 disaster in a former fire station, and the firefighters who first responded to the explosion at Reactor 4 — almost all of whom died of acute radiation syndrome within weeks — are commemorated by name in the entrance hall.

Other places in Things to Do