Opening of the MUI: Mariupol. Ukrainian Identity project — an innovative exhibition about Mariupol

On February 24, 2026, a unique exhibition project "MUI: Mariupol. Ukrainian Identity" opened in Lviv's "Gunpowder Tower" , combining the artistic, architectural and technological vision of the city. This is an attempt to preserve Mariupol in time, record its true history and create a space for shared experience and understanding of what was destroyed but did not disappear.

"This research began as a student assignment — searching for sources, maps, facts, but over time it became clear that it was not just about materials, but about preserving the memory, voice, and image of the city. MUI became a way to record Mariupol as it was and as it will definitely be," the project authors note.

The central element of the exhibition is an interactive model of the city, which, using video mapping, immerses visitors in the urban space, allows them to hear the voices of different generations, see the transformations of the city, and feel the experience of the Mariupol community. On the first floor of the Powder Tower, photographs by Myroslav Kobylyansky from the photo book “My Mariupol and the World Around Me” are presented. These are bird's-eye views of Mariupol taken before 2022. The author distributes the book in different countries of the world, it is even available at the Akademik Vernadsky station in Antarctica.

The second floor of the project is the Skeiron team’s zone, which is engaged in digitizing historical heritage. Visitors can interact with a physical model of the Mariupol Drama Theater, as well as see unique Mariupol mosaics restored in digital format using VR glasses. On the same floor are works of art by Anna Skitska, which capture images of places and states that may be lost but remain in memory.

Also presented are the landscapes of Mariupol by Vasyl Korenchuk, a 75-year-old Mariupol artist who has lived in Lviv since 2022. A separate element is the seagulls, recreated based on the mosaic from the Ilyus cafe, made by the artist Hanna Krut — mirrored, as a symbol of memory and reflection.

The third floor is the chronicle of Mariupol: key events and dates, unique archival photos, 3D copies of iconic buildings. In the center of the exposition is a detailed 25 square meter model map of the city. Every day at the specified time, a 15-minute video mapping dedicated to the founding of Mariupol and the stages of its development is shown here.

The Mariupol Museum is sincerely grateful to all partners who joined the implementation of the idea, and especially to the project team and director Maksym Yasynsky.