The first step towards the creation of the museum was the development of its concept, according to which nowadays it has two exhibition halls. In the building of the University in 4, Blukhera Str., there was chosen and renovated a room for the museum. The total area is 165, 1 sq. m. We have to mention that the repair of facilities required special and careful approach, for the reason that it didn’t respond to the requirements for exhibition premises. Professor S. M. Kudelko (leading museologist, Honored Worker of Culture of Ukraine, Director of the Center for Regional Studies of Kharkiv National University named after V. N. Karazin) was involved as a scientific consultant for performing museum works.
Very active scientific and research work aimed at collecting and making museum collection preceded the opening of the museum. Particular attention was paid to research of the origins of higher pharmaceutical education in Ukraine and unknown pages of its history, in which the university played the leading part. Early in July 2009 museum staff approved the project of the museum reconstruction and started repair works.
The grand opening of the museum took place on 15, September 2010 on the third day of the VII Congress of Pharmacists.
One of the most thorough and important tasks we were facing, was collecting of exhibits for the museum. Today, among the exhibits of the museum there are:
• ХІХ century weigh scales, which M.O. Valyashko used in his work;
• Pharmacopoeia in German with handmade color illustrations published in 1890;
• personal record of M.O. Valyashko;
• laboratory medical utensils of late ХІХ century;
• exhibits from the collection of medicinal plants of Kharkiv Imperial University, dated ХІХ century.
• and others.
Huge help in creating of the museum was given by the heads of departments and other sub-divisions of the university who gave a number of valuable exhibits to museum’s funds. In particular, Professor P. O. Bezugly presented the museum with weigh scales once belonging to the first rector of the university professor M.O. Valyashko. Special thanks are also expressed to Head of the Department of Management and Marketing in Pharmacy, Doctor of Pharmacy, Professor S. N. Mnushko; Head of the Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, Doctor of Pharmacy, Professor V.S. Kyslychenko; Head of the Department of Pharmacognosy, Doctor of Pharmacy, Professor V. M. Kovalyov; Head of the Department of Botany, Doctor of Pharmacy, Professor A.G. Serbin; Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology of Drugs, Doctor of Pharmacy, Professor O.I. Tikhonov and others.
Invaluable contribution to the creation of museums was made by the vice-Director of the State Research Center of medicines, Professor L. G. Almakayeva, who handed on to the museum a number of important exhibits dedicated to life and scientific activity of an outstanding pharmacist, former director of State Scientific Centre of Medicines F.A. Konev (including F.A. Konev’s vacuum washer, filter and albums, etc.), books, publications of pharmacists’ congresses and medical utensils, etc..
There continued work for collecting materials on the history of pharmacy that should have been reflected in the display or stored in the museum funds, on the following issues: “The history of traditional folk pharmacy”, ‘History of Pharmacy in the ancient times” and “History of Pharmacy in the Middle Ages”. Work on collecting materials was conducted in the leading libraries of Kharkiv (Central State Scientific Library named after V. G. Korolenko and the Central Scientific Library of Kharkiv National University named after V. N. Karazin and the library of the Medical Society) and the State Archive of the Kharkiv region.
Work is carried on to compose biographies of leading NUPh scientists, who worked at the university at various stages of its history and outstanding students.
Director of the museum Grigorieva M.V. now regularly publishes articles on the history of pharmacy and NUPh in the newspaper “Youth of pharmacy”.
Starting since September 2010 the museum opened its doors to visitors. By early November 2010 museum’s staff conducted 50 excursion tours for students, pupils and guests of the university.
In the guestbook of the museum we can find records of the honorable guests of the seventh congress of pharmacists, representatives from different countries and nationalities, prominent personalities of pharmaceutical industry, students and university graduates.
Today, the funds of the museum of history of pharmacy of Ukraine number more than 700 exhibits that reflect the history of the university and development of pharmaceutical science in Kharkiv.
