The formation of the exposition of the future Pirogovo Museum began in 1969; the author of the idea of creating the museum was Petro Tymofiyovych Tronko. In the process of forming the museum’s funds, exhibits had to be collected from all over Ukraine. Since it was initially planned to create separate expositions in the museum that would convey the features of architecture and everyday life of the historical regions of Ukraine, difficulties arose related not only to the selection of exhibits characteristic of a specific historical region. Thus, it was possible to find and deliver to the museum a unique Ukrainian hut of the 16th century, the only one to date in Ukraine.
The process of creating and filling the museum’s collection stretched over 7 years, during which it was necessary to overcome difficulties related not only to the selection of exhibits but also to party intrigues.
As P. T. Tronko recalls this situation in one of his interviews: “It so happened that for the creation of the exposition, a disassembled windmill was being transported in a truck past the building of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine on Ordzhonikidze Street. Perhaps Volodymyr Vasylyovych Shcherbytsky saw this from the window, but most likely, ‘well-wishers’ reported on the collection of the patriarchal. In general, the first secretary of the Central Committee called me and said: ‘Petro Tymofiyovych, what are you carrying junk there? Do you have nothing to do?’ I calmly replied to him: ‘You will one day thank me for this junk’.”
In 1976, the construction of the first stage of the museum was completed, and members of the government were invited to its opening. I called Shcherbytsky, and he told me: “First we need to see what you’ve done there.” Before that, the second secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, Sokolov, had told him God knows what: funds were wasted, only rot, nobody needs it, and besides, it smells of nationalism. He really understood a lo-o-ot about this matter!
Members of the government, headed by the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CPU, arrived at Pirogovo a few days before the museum’s opening. They were guided through the territory for four hours. And there the miller was grinding flour, the blacksmith was shoeing horses, the girls were strumming banduras — beauty! After the inspection, I suggested that Volodymyr Vasylyovych write his impressions in the guest book. He wrote: “Thank you, dear comrades, for the museum.” — “And what did I tell you?”. Volodymyr Vasylyovych replied: “That happens, Petro.”
Some exhibits necessary for creating the expositions could not be found, and they were restored under the guidance of historians with all the details. But the main fund consists of architectural structures that have survived to this day, created by the inhabitants of Ukraine many centuries ago.
At the time of the opening of the Pirogovo Museum in 1976, its territory was 120 hectares, on which more than 150 structures — monuments of Ukrainian architecture and everyday life — were located. All of them were grouped into 5 expositions: Middle Dnieper, Poltava region, Slobozhanshchyna, Polissya, and Podillia.
Over time, the Pirogovo Museum grew and developed — the museum’s territory reached 150 hectares, the number of historical structures increased to 300 exhibits, and a unique collection of ethnographic exhibits, about 40,000, was formed. This includes a huge collection of ancient clothing; wooden and clay dishes; furniture; products made of wood, metal, glass; carpets and embroidery; musical instruments; and various folk paintings. The number of expositions also grew to 8: Middle Dnieper, South of Ukraine, Poltava region, Slobozhanshchyna, Polissya, Podillia, Carpathians, and Folk creativity in the architecture of rural life of the 60s – 80s.