Kiev Water Museum


The Kiev Water Museum is an educational centre that occupies one of the buildings from the early centralised water-supply system in the city which was built at the middle of the 19th century. It is located in Khreshchaty Park. The Water-Information Centre gives information about water resources and their rational consumption. The exhibition demonstrates the history of Kiev's water supply system, water treatment and waste water treatment in contemporary Kiev while also showing water's role in people's activities using interesting and interactive examples.
The Water-Information Centre is one of the most attended cultural institutions in Kiev. In April 2014, the 1.5 millionth visitor got a ceremonial welcome.

History

The Water-Information Centre was established on 24 May 2003 by Kiev's city government with the support of the Ministry of Environment of Denmark during the Fifth Ministerial Conference, "Environment for Europe".
The entrance of the centre is in a water tower built in 1876, and the administration center is located in a water tower nearby built in 1872. Both water-towers were reconstructed in 2003, in accordance with original plans. The main exhibition is located in an underground water tank built in 1909, and was designed by Karsten Møller, from Denmark.

Exhibition

The exhibition is informative and interactive. There are technical exhibitions, aqua parks and theatres. Visitors can learn about water resources and their value in people's life. The journey through the museum represents a trip through Kiev's water-supply system demonstrating both water and wastewater treatment. There is also a playground with a sandbox, a pump and soap bubbles.
A large aquarium with koi represent water's great importance for all forms of life.

Information for visitors

Tours are conducted by guides speaking Ukrainian or Russian. Excursions for foreign tourists are available with a guide speaking English or French on request.