Ukrainian National Museum

What Ukrainian National Museum does

The Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution founded in 1952 and located at 2249 W. Superior St. in Chicago's Ukrainian Village. It preserves and exhibits Ukrainian and Ukrainian-American heritage through permanent collections including regional embroidery, Kozak Period artifacts, World War I materials, Holodomor documentation, and world-class Ukrainian-American immigration archives. Operated under tax-exempt status (EIN 36-2483259), it runs on roughly 30 public hours per week (Wednesday through Sunday, 11am–4pm), offers traditional craft workshops such as Pysanka and Motanka, hosts rotating exhibitions, and maintains a library and archival research facility. Its technology stack consists of standard nonprofit and museum SaaS tools — PastPerfect for collections management, Neon CRM for online store and memberships, WordPress for its website, and Eventbrite for event ticketing — with an ISHRAB-funded effort underway to digitize First Wave immigrant holdings.

The museum's business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining earned income from admissions ($10 adults, $5 seniors/students, free for children under 12 and members), six tiers of recurring annual memberships ranging from Individual at $50 to Patron at $1,000, paid workshops and special events ($10–$75), online merchandise sales via the UNM Online Store, archival research fees, and tax-deductible donations supplemented by occasional grants (e.g., the $4,012 ISHRAB grant in 2022). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on Ukrainian-American diaspora networks, partnerships with religious and community organizations, earned media coverage (CBS, Fox32, Chicago Tribune, NBC, ABC, WGN), and an email newsletter program. Customers include the Ukrainian-American community (primary segment), schools and educational groups, general public visitors, and community organizations seeking cultural programming and event space. Zachary Dmyterko was named Executive Director in December 2024, succeeding prior leadership.

Name

Ukrainian National Museum

Legal name

Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago

Website

https://ukrainiannationalmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1952 that preserves and exhibits Ukrainian and Ukrainian-American heritage through permanent collections, archives, craft workshops, and cultural events serving the Chicago Ukrainian-American diaspora and broader public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Museum

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAI

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYTHAJADAB

History Museums

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYBPAGAHAA

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYTHAJADAA

Art Museums

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

Keywords

• Cultural heritage preservation
• Ukrainian embroidery collections
• Historical archival research
• Traditional craft workshops
• Community cultural museum

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at multiple tiers (Individual $50, Family $70, Sponsor $100, Benefactor $250, Founder $500, Patron $1000) providing free admission, newsletter access, library access, and member-only events.
2. Admission Fees: General admission fees: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $5, Children under 12 free, Members free. Tour admission $10 for all visitors.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN #: 36-2483259.
4. Workshop Fees: Cultural workshops including Pysanka (Ukrainian Easter Egg) workshops at $50 per person including all supplies.
5. Gift Shop / Online Store: UNM Online Store selling museum merchandise, books, and Ukrainian cultural items.
6. Archival Research Fees: Archive Policies and Research Fee Schedule for accessing archival materials and conducting research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago is a nonprofit cultural institution that preserves and showcases Ukrainian heritage through permanent and rotating exhibitions, archival collections, traditional craft workshops, and community events. It operates a library and archives, offers six tiers of annual memberships, runs educational workshops (Pysanka and Motanka), hosts cultural celebrations, and sells Ukrainian-themed merchandise through an online store. The museum serves the Ukrainian-American diaspora, school groups, and general public visitors seeking cultural education and heritage connection.

Product overview

The Ukrainian National Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution offering a unified portfolio of cultural heritage products and services centered on preserving and showcasing over 70 years of Ukrainian culture in Chicago. The museum's core offerings include permanent and rotating art exhibits (such as the Heritage, Kozak Period, Holodomor Genocide, and Pysanky exhibitions), a membership program with six tiers ($50-$1,000 annually), and educational workshops including Pysanka and Motanka traditional crafts. Supporting services include library and archive access (free to members), an online store powered by Neon CRM, group guided tours, artifact donation programs, and hall rental for events. The museum generates revenue through admission fees ($10 adults, $5 seniors/students), membership dues, merchandise sales, and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UNM Membership Program Six-tier annual membership program (Individual $50, Family $70, Sponsor $100, Benefactor $250, Founder $500, Patron $1,000) providing free general admission, newsletter access, library access, members-only event invitations, and voting rights at biennial meetings. Patron tier includes hall rental discounts and marketing opportunities. All memberships are nontransferable, nonrefundable, and tax-deductible.
• Museum Admission General admission to the museum at 2249 W. Superior St., Chicago, with tiered pricing: Adults $10, Seniors/Students $5, Children under 12 free, Members free. Tour admission $10 for all visitors. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
• UNM Online Store E-commerce platform for purchasing museum merchandise, gift items, Ukrainian cultural items, and books. Operated via Neon CRM at ukrainiannationalmuseum.app.neoncrm.com.
• Pysanka Workshop Traditional Ukrainian Easter egg (pysanka) decorating workshops teaching wax-resist techniques. $50 per person including all supplies, class size limited to 15-18 participants, ages 17+.
• Motanka Workshop

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Selfreliance FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for museum exhibitions and events including the 'Apostle of Peace' exhibit for Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky.
• Heritage Foundation Assurance AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for museum exhibitions including the 'Apostle of Peace' exhibit.
• MB Financial BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for museum exhibitions.
• Ukrainian Catholic Education FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for museum exhibitions.
• Kasia's DeliminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor for museum exhibitions.
• Ukrainian-American Chamber of Commerce and IndustryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization shown on museum's partners page.
• Arts Work FundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization shown on museum's partners page.
• Together NowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization shown on museum's partners page.
• National Hellenic MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for 'Museums in Conversation' series featuring joint discussions on cultural traditions. First collaboration was 'Easter in the East' exploring Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Easter traditions.
• Ukrainian Village CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Chicago's Ukrainian Village, the museum is an integral organization in the Ukrainian community, hosting community events, cultural celebrations, and partnering with local organizations like 'Pomarancheva Khvylia' (Orange Wave) for events such as Heroes Day dedicated to Symon Petliura.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Polish Museum of America: Chicago's Polish-American heritage museum with permanent exhibits, archives, and cultural events. Closely parallel Slavic-heritage cultural institution serving a similar diaspora model in the same city.
• Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture: Chicago-based ethnic heritage museum preserving Lithuanian-American history, with similar exhibits, archives, and community programming. Comparable scale, single-location model, and diaspora-driven audience.
• Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art: Chicago-based Ukrainian cultural institution featuring exhibitions of Ukrainian and Ukrainian-American art. Directly comparable to UNM in terms of Ukrainian heritage focus, though it leans more contemporary art while UNM emphasizes historical artifacts.
• National Hellenic Museum: Ethnic heritage museum in Chicago serving the Greek-American diaspora with exhibits, archives, cultural events, and educational programming. UNM already collaborates with it on the 'Museums in Conversation' series, making it the closest operational peer.
• Swedish American Museum: Chicago-based cultural museum dedicated to Swedish-American heritage with exhibits, workshops, and a children's museum component. Comparable ethnic-heritage museum model in the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago History Museum: Major Chicago cultural institution focused on local history with exhibits, archives, and educational programming. Relevant incumbent for understanding how a single-city heritage museum scales operations and audience.
• DuSable Museum of African American History: Larger Chicago-based ethnic heritage museum with broader scope and higher visitor traffic. Provides a benchmark for what a more established ethnic-heritage museum in Chicago can achieve at scale.

Regional players

• Museum of Ukrainian Heritage (New Jersey): Regional Ukrainian heritage institution serving the East Coast Ukrainian-American diaspora. Comparable mission around Ukrainian cultural preservation though geographically distinct from UNM's Midwest base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UkrNatlMuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/UkrainianNationalMuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ukrainian-national-museum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ukrainian National Museum