museumUNESCO World Heritage⭐ 4.9 (876 reviews)

Ivan Franko Museum in Lviv (Franko House)

Authentic homestead where the great Ukrainian writer Ivan Franko lived and worked

📍 Lviv, Lviv•🏛️ 1902

About This Site

The Ivan Franko Museum in Lviv is a memorial museum in the house where the great Ukrainian writer, poet, scientist and public figure Ivan Franko lived the last 14 years of his life (1902-1916) with his family.

The Ivan Franko Museum in Lviv, known as 'Franko House', is a memorial museum located in the house at 150-152 Ivan Franko Street. Here the great Ukrainian writer, poet, scientist, translator and public figure Ivan Franko lived the last 14 years of his life (1902-1916) with his wife Olha and four children. The house is an old villa on the outskirts of early 20th-century Lviv, surrounded by a garden. It was here that Franko wrote his most important works of the late creative period, received guests, and engaged in scientific activities. The museum was opened in 1940, just 24 years after the writer's death. The memorial exhibition recreates the authentic atmosphere of the Franko family's life. Visitors can see genuine furniture, the writer's personal belongings, his library with thousands of books, the study where he wrote his works. Manuscripts, letters, photographs, personal documents are preserved. Today, 'Franko House' is not just a museum, but a modern cultural space for fruitful dialogue, scientific research, artistic practices, intellectual work and leisure. The museum holds lectures, literary evenings, scientific conferences, educational programs, master classes.

Historical Significance

Ivan Franko purchased this house in 1902 and moved here with his family. He lived here until his death on May 28, 1916. During these 14 years, the house was the center of Lviv's intellectual and cultural life - writers, scientists, and public figures gathered here. After Franko's death, the family continued to live in the house. In 1940, under Soviet rule, a memorial museum was opened here. During World War II, the house was damaged, but the exhibits were preserved. In the 1960s, the museum was reconstructed and authentic interiors were restored. In 2006, for the 150th anniversary of Ivan Franko's birth, the museum underwent major restoration. Furniture and decor were restored, and a new exhibition was created. In the 2020s, the museum underwent rebranding, becoming a modern cultural center. A new FrankoData website was created as part of the 'Open Digital Museum' project with support from the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.

The Ivan Franko Museum has exceptional significance for Ukrainian culture. Ivan Franko (1856-1916) is one of the most outstanding Ukrainian writers, poets, scientists, and public figures. His creative heritage includes over 3,000 works of various genres: poetry, prose, drama, journalism, scientific works, translations. The house preserves the memory of the last, most productive years of the writer's life. Here he wrote such important works as the poem 'Moses', poetry collections, scientific studies. The museum demonstrates not only Franko's creative heritage but also his family life, the daily life of an intelligentsia family of the early 20th century. The museum is an important research center for Franko studies, a meeting place for scientists, writers, and students. The museum's collection includes over 10,000 exhibits: manuscripts, books, photographs, personal items, furniture, household objects.