Institutions of Activism: Museums and Ukraines Revolution of Dignity

Abstract

Amidst unprecedented protests over the winter of 2013-2014, many museums in Ukraine

transformed from Soviet era hold-overs to active civil society participants who discovered

that they could use their unique circumstances to position themselves at the forefront of

societal development. While art, creativity, and play are typically part of the repertoire of

protesters in social movements, Euromaidan presents an unusual dynamic in that the

participants using art and culture were not only individual protesters, but also institutions,

such as museums. They responded by collecting artifacts, creating exhibits during and after

the protests, organizing programs for creative engagement and response, and even offering

hot tea and power outlets to protesters. Ongoing museum efforts include a discussion of

how the protests will be remembered – how can a permanent record be presented in a way

that is engaging and responsive: how can such a record be designed to serve community

needs, strengthen community ties, energize citizens, make the difficult topics more

digestible, and ultimately, become a center for empowerment and societal development?

Regardless of how the official Museum of Maidan manifests, Ukraine’s museums are

becoming examples of what it means to be responsive in crisis, to engage visitors

creatively, and to include the community in developing a collective memory narrative.