Rivne Museum

We stumbled upon a museum in Rivne by chance-- Краэзнавчий Музей. For about $1, we got to wander around rooms and rooms of intriguing and quite random stuff having to do with the city of Rivne. There was incredible amounts of historical stuff-- from traditional tools and dress of the peasants hundreds of years ago to more recent WWII memorabilia, such as military uniforms and an entire wall of handwritten letters written by and to soldiers. There were rooms dedicated to geology and wildlife of the area, complete with stuffed animals and skeletons. 

The museum was not very polished, professional, and crowded like big, famous museums... but rather a little dusty, mystical, and random. Ukraine has been one of my favorite places to visit museums for this reason.

It's incredible to me that a small, pretty insignificant city in Ukraine can have so much history. Rivne was first mentioned as an inhabited city in 1283. You can't find a city in the US with history past the 1600s. 

I could travel the world if only to learn history and nothing else. It is so fulfilling to know more about the world and the people of the past who made it what it is today.

- Julia

Rivne, Ukraine II

Thanks for the nice comments about our first Rivne post.  Obviously I have much pride in the place since it's where I was born. I am especially thrilled when people comment saying they're adding Ukraine to their list of travel destinations. It certainly isn't a common country for tourism. 

Here are some more images of our short time in the city. 

- Julia

P.S. Since people have been asking why we immigrated to the United States, I'm putting together an interview for my mom-- I think she would know better. I am probably more excited to hear the answers than anyone.

WWII War memorials and Ukrainian heros at a cemetery. 

Rivne Opera House- not quite as fancy as the others we've seen.

This man was very unhappy about this photo. He yelled after me and I walked faster.

The following images are at the bazaar in the center of town. These women thought we were hilarious for photographing them and their goods. They don't understand. I didn't mind being laughed at to get these shots though.

Canned at home, sold on the street.

These don't look like the carrots I buy at the grocery store. 

Sour cabbage... smelly stuff. 

Smoked fish. Yum.

I wanted to take this entire box home. Beautiful pine cone tree ornaments.