“About Museums Over Coffee” Online Meeting Focused on Supporting Museums During Wartime

On September 30, an online meeting was held as part of the “About Museums Over Coffee” discussion series, focusing on the topic “Supporting Museums During Wartime.” The event brought together museum professionals to discuss current challenges and possible solutions amid the full-scale war.

The discussion featured Ihor Poshyvailo, Director General of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity and founder of the Agency for Cultural Resilience (ACURE). He emphasized that the war has confronted Ukrainian museums with unprecedented challenges, including the constant risk of destruction or loss of collections, the need for emergency evacuation, the search for resources to preserve museum holdings, and the necessity of maintaining communication with audiences.

During the meeting, Poshyvailo outlined ACURE’s key areas of activity. These include the creation of a Mobile Digital Laboratory to document the condition of museum collections, the organization of training programs and workshops—particularly on managing and preserving digital archives—as well as intensive courses focused on stabilizing damaged collections.

Special attention was also given to international practices for documenting war crimes against cultural heritage, implemented within the framework of the “Museification of War” project.

The discussion demonstrated that support for museums during wartime is multidimensional, encompassing material, technical, methodological, and educational assistance. Through collective efforts, the museum community continues to find solutions even in the most challenging circumstances, safeguarding the future of Ukrainian culture.