Ukraine's first kobzar art museum opens in Chyhyryn — Bohdan Khmelnytsky's historical capital. Taras Kompanychenko is the main expert-consultant.
The city of Chyhyryn (Cherkasy Oblast) — Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky's historical capital in 1648-1657 — opens on 14 October 2026 Ukraine's first kobzar art museum in a newly built building next to the historical hetman's residence. Total project budget — 18 million UAH, partly from the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation (60%) and the regional budget (40%). Main expert-consultant — Taras Kompanychenko. Museum exposition of 4 halls: 1) 'Origins' (15th-16th centuries, first kobzars); 2) 'Golden Age' (17th-18th centuries, Hetmanate); 3) 'Prohibition and Revival' (19th-20th centuries, up to independent Ukraine); 4) 'Modern Revival' (from 1991 to today). Among exhibits — 12 authentic historical banduras and kobzas from different periods (one — from the 17th century, provided from Shevchenko KNU funds), a diorama of a Cossack camp on Khortytsia, an audio archive with 200+ kobzar recordings over the last 100 years. A special value — 6 interactive multimedia installations: a visitor can 'play' a virtual bandura via touch screen, listen to authentic sound reconstruction, view 3D models of historical instruments. Multimedia voiceover was provided by Kompanychenko personally. Kobzar art was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2008 — and this museum is the first physical materialisation of that award in Ukraine. Expected annual attendance — 45 thousand visitors.
