The Polissia exhibition presents a distinctive cultural landscape shaped by forests, wetlands, and a way of life closely connected to nature. Here, traditional houses and household objects reflect the resilience and self-sufficiency of the people who inhabited this northern region of Ukraine. The exhibition recreates the everyday life of Polissian communities, where architecture, crafts, and domestic practices were adapted to the local environment and climate.
Locations
House from the Village of Bekhy
This house comes from the village of Bekhy in Zhytomyr Oblast. It was built in the 19th century on the site of an older dwelling, preserving the original walls and storage room, which became part of the new structure. The building illustrates continuity in Polissian folk architecture and the careful reuse of earlier constructions.
Household Complex from the Village of Soloviі
The enclosed farmstead from the village of Soloviï in Volyn Oblast is a unique mid-19th-century complex that combines residential and farm buildings under a single roof. This type of layout was typical for Polissia and had clear practical advantages: it protected livestock, ensured convenient daily work, and provided efficient storage of tools and supplies. The complex consisted of twelve interconnected spaces, including the living house, entrance hall, pantry, threshing area, cart shed, storage rooms, utility spaces, stable, grain store, and others. All buildings were log-constructed from alder and pine planks, with earthen floors. The house itself was built in 1851. It is a smoke house (with no chimney), featuring washed interior walls and traditional furnishings. The interior preserves examples of Polissian clothing, linen towels, black-smoked pottery, and a svitots — a traditional lighting device. The farm buildings were used for crafts, livestock keeping, and the storage of grain and hay, and also contained equipment for producing oil and starch. Together, they reflect the multifunctional and self-sufficient character of the traditional Polissian household.