The history of Ukraine has been marked by countless periods of foreign domination, forced influences, and oppression. Yet, throughout centuries of struggle, the Ukrainian people have managed to create and maintain an identity that is unique.

This spirit of preservation and proliferation is at the heart of the Ukrainian Heritage Center of New Haven, Conn. Beginning with a small collection of photographs gathered to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Saint Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Center has now grown to seven exhibition rooms, which include an outstanding collection of artistic artifacts, historical documents, and literary resources that serve not only to preserve a culture but also to help that culture fluorish by sharing it with the people of the United States.

Since its opening in 1984, the Center has hosted visitors from Ukraine, including scholars and politicians, as well as numerous students from Connecticut and beyond in search of resources for research topics as diverse as folk dance, costuming, and iconography. Artifacts from the Center have been incorporated into traveling exhibits, spreading the rich Ukrainian culture to people who might otherwise never have this opportunity to learn.

The Center gained national attention for its efforts in the Benchmark Books Educational Series, as well as through a feature article in the New York Times.

(above text courtesy of Southern Connecticut State University)

Curated by Mary Hezzey, The Ukrainian Heritage Center, was established in 1984 by the parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Center documents the history of the settlement of Ukrainians in New Haven and has on exhibit traditional regional costumes and artifacts of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.

The library has more than 4,000 books, both in Ukrainian and English, operating on a lending basis.

The Center is located at 555 George St., adjacent to St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. It is open to the public, free of charge, on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. To arrange an appointment on weekdays, email or call Ann Salemme, Director, stmichaelsUHC@gmail.com or 203-934-6520.