Did you know that the Administration of Lavra’s State Cultural and Historical Preserve (All-Ukrainian Museum Town) was forced to appeal to various city authorities for the correct announcement of tram stops?

It happened because of the critical remarks on the address of the museum institution that appeared in newspapers in July 1928.

On August 17, 1928, Lavra’s Preserve filed several petitions.

One of them was addressed to the administration of Kyiv District Communal Utilities. It was about issuingan order to the tram conductors (routes № 3 and № 7) to announce stops near St. Nicholas Military Cathedral and School for Working Youth (№ 84) as “All-Ukrainian Museum Town”. It was also proposed that the explanation about the past affiliation of that place with Lavra be given only in case of need.

The second petition was sent to Kyiv District Administrative Department. It was addressed to militia men and dealt with using the name “Museum Town” when giving instructions to the people.According to the document, it was especially important in Leninsky (now Pechersky) district and in the vicinity of tram stops № 3 and № 7.

The third request was sent to the Excursion and Lecture Bureau of Kyiv Office of Political Education. The Administration of Lavra’s Preserve insisted on organizing several excursions for tram conductors and police officers “to acquaint them with the tasks of the Museum Town and explain the association of that place with Lavra only if that was necessary”.

Captions to the illustrations:

1. Information about Lavra’s State Cultural and Historical Preserve from the Guidebook of 1927 (“TenYears of Struggle and Construction Activities”. 1917–1927”).

2. Information about the tram route № 3 from the Tram Rules, 1935.

3. Central entrance to the All-Ukrainian Museum Town. 1930^s [inv. № KPL-N-1423]

Anna Yanenko