With over 400 testimonies and more than 600 artifacts, the War Childhood Museum’s (WCM) collection is one of the most comprehensive records of how the Russia-Ukraine war has impacted children’s lives, both before and after the full-scale invasion in 2022.
The collection highlights diverse experiences, capturing stories from children across different regions of Ukraine, as well as those internally displaced and those who have become refugees in European countries. It documents the challenges of family separation, interrupted education, personal loss, and other profound effects of the war, while also highlighting children’s resilience amid these circumstances.
WCM is currently working to establish a permanent museum space in Kyiv, which will serve as a vital hub for dialogue, remembrance, and healing. This space will provide essential support to individuals, families, and communities affected by the war. Read more about our work in Ukraine here.
A Glimpse of the WCM Ukrainian Collection

‘Apricots of Donbas’
Do you remember how many apricots we had in Luhansk? I used to collect chestnuts in the fall, in packages just like this one. They were all put into a shoe box and stored—I don’t know why. Then, in the spring, there were apricots. I remember how, when they were in bloom, all the flowers would shower down on you like rain. It was enchanting. I was delighted by the apricots, and always tried to walk near where they grew, just to be closer to them. They always seemed so bright and wonderful.
My life has been divided by the war into “Luhansk” and “post-Luhansk”. I have nothing to unite these two parts into one whole. Moreover, I understand that my memories of childhood, of Luhansk, are dying. The title of the poetry collection is one of those impressions from childhood, something I am unlikely to forget. It’s a symbol that connects me to my childhood. These are the words that echo somewhere inside me.
Oleksii, b. 2000, Luhansk

My Father’s Gloves
My father’s gloves. I used to wear them with his military uniform, his body armor, and his helmet (a hard hat with headphones). He brought me these gloves at the beginning of the war.
They mean a lot to me. In them, I see a part of my father. He is 53 years old. He could have stayed at home, since he is in the reserves. But he decided that Article 54 of the Constitution—about the sacred duty of every citizen to protect the sovereignty and independence of our state—was a call he needed to follow. As a citizen, he went, unafraid; he did not flee abroad, did not give bribes. He set an example for me, showing me that, even in difficult moments, we all have a choice. I am proud of him.
Lorents, b. 2008, Kyiv

Big Problems
I was born in Kherson, where there are big problems now. Our courtyard was bombed. During the missile strike, the trees fell. Even the most stable ones were broken. Afterwards, barely any remained standing. Everything was in ashes. All the glass was broken. We lived on the eighth floor, and we still live on the eighth floor here in Kyiv.
One day, I saw those Z-kas driving on our roads. A month later, for our own safety, we went to Kyiv.
I made this tank with my own hands; I spent an hour making it. In Kherson, I have a whole drawer with three shelves filled to the brim with my models. I miss Kherson.
Mykhailo, b. 2014, Kherson

Displaced Dragon
I liked Poland; there were a lot of very kind people there. I saw teachers taking children around the city, telling them about the folk culture and monuments.
This toy is a symbol of Krakow. There were a ton of souvenir shops in Krakow, and every shop had these dragons. I brought him everywhere with me before I moved to Britain.
One day, after we had returned to Kyiv, we went to a store, and in the store there was a toy machine with a dragon just like this lying inside. I realized that one of the migrant dragons had moved from Krakow to Kyiv too.
Arina, b. 2013, Zaporizhzhia
How Do We Work with the Ukrainian Collection
Research and documentation
Research and documentation are core activities of the WCM office in Kyiv. Despite the full-scale invasion, the team keeps on gathering testimonies from all regions of Ukraine, as well as from Ukrainian refugees. Additionally, to assist other professionals in documenting the ongoing conflict, the WCM in Ukraine organizes workshops for researchers with a focus on various aspects of documentation and working with memory.
Exhibition
The WCM organizes exhibitions showcasing its Ukrainian collection both within Ukraine and internationally. The first major exhibition in Kyiv in 2021 attracted over 1,100 visitors and received widespread media attention. The latest exhibition “Out of Shadow” was held in summer 2024 in Kyiv at the Taras Shevchenko Museum. The WCM offices in Sarajevo and Kyiv also produced the “LISTEN” exhibition, which has toured six European countries.
Education
The WCM team in Kyiv offers a variety of workshops and educational programs across Ukraine, such as online sessions for parents and teachers, art therapy, a documentary theater project, and activities in schools and exhibitions, among others. The main goal of these initiatives is to provide multifaceted support and resilience-building for those affected by the ongoing conflict and enable contributors to collection to keep interacting with the WCM in various ways.
Was Your Childhood Affected by the Russia-Ukraine War?
Contribute Your Memories to the War Childhood Musem growing collection. We collect personal belongings as well as video and audio testimonies.
Support the War Childhood Museum
The War Childhood Museum is an independent non-for-profit museum not funded by government. In addition to institutional donors and partners, the Museum has been receiving support from dedicated individuals and friends from its very opening. Become a friend and support the WCM.