Museum of Sexual Cultures

The Museum of Sexual Cultures (Ukrainian: Музей сексу і сексуальних культур світу, romanizedMuzey seksu i seksual'nikh kul'tur svitu) is a scientific and educational museum, which explores the sexual cultures of a number of countries. The first of its kind in both Ukraine, and in post-Soviet Eastern Europe,[1] it is located in Kharkiv.

Museum of Sexual Cultures
Map
Established1999 (1999)
LocationKharkiv, Ukraine
TypeSex museum
CollectionsAntiquities, photography
ArchitectValeriy Aksak

Background edit

The museum was established in 1999 by the Department of Sexology and Medical Psychology of the Kharkiv Medical Academy.[1] Based on the collection of Valentin Kryshtal,[2] it is the first of its kind in any post-Soviet country, as well as the first in Ukraine, the museum reflects the sexual cultures of a number of countries.[3][4] It was designed by the architect Valery Aksak.[5] In 2021 a similar museum opened in Kyiv.[5]

Collections and displays edit

 
Statue of Priapus in the museum

The museum has ten exhibition halls, which can only be visited once a person is over eighteen – the age of consent in Ukraine.[6] The museum also hosts a gallery aimed at teenagers, where youth-led events are held and that audiences over the age of 15 can attend.[6][7] Topics such as intimacy, and sexual orientation are included in the interpretation.[8] Particular attention is paid to the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, especially AIDS.[1]

The collection includes antiquities, prints and drawings and contemporary collections of photography and ephemera.[9] It also includes a medieval chastity belt.[3] There is a statue of Priapus to which visitors can make offerings.[10]

The museum's retail offer is a sex shop.[1] In response to Ukraine's COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the museum was one of a number of cultural institutions that Ukrainians could visit for free using their vaccination voucher.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Музей секса и сексуальных культур мира" [Museum of Sex and Sexual Cultures of the World]. moygorod.ua (in Russian). Музей секса и сексуальных культур мира. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  2. ^ Gazeta.ua (17 May 2021). "Сбитые самолеты и сексуальная культура - чем занимаются музеи Украины" [Downed planes and sexual culture - what museums in Ukraine do]. Gazeta.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Куда сходить: 13 необычных музеев Харькова" [Where to go: 13 unusual museums of Kharkov]. 2018.
  4. ^ "День Харькова: 9 причин посетить город" [Kharkiv Day: 9 reasons to visit the city]. 24 Канал (in Russian). Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Музей секса и сексуальных культур в Харькове: что можно посмотреть и как попасть, - ФОТО" [Museum of Sex and Sexual Cultures in Kharkov: what to see and how to get there - PHOTOS]. 057.ua - Сайт города Харькова (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  6. ^ a b "ТОП-5 туристичних місць в Україні, пов'язаних з "полуничкою" (18+)" [TOP-5 tourist places in Ukraine related to "strawberry" (18+)]. 24 Канал (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Музеи Харькова: ТОП-5 мест города, где стоит побывать, - ФОТО" [Museums of Kharkov: TOP-5 places of the city where it is worth to visit, - PHOTOS]. 057.ua - Сайт города Харькова (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Научат плохому: топ-5 мест для секс-образования в Харькове" [They will teach the bad: the top 5 places for sex education in Kharkov]. 2019.
  9. ^ "Музей сексуальних культур | Музей Харків, Харківська область" [Museum of Sexual Cultures | Kharkiv Museum, Kharkiv Region]. cityplaces.info (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  10. ^ Андрій, Павлишин (15 February 2022). "Про що розповідають гіди в Харківському музеї сексуальних культур світу" [About what the guides in the Kharkiv Museum of Sexual Cultures tell the world]. novyny.live (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Найцікавіші музеї України, на які не шкода витратити отриману за вакцинацію 1000 гривень" [The most interesting museums in Ukraine, which are not sorry to spend ₴1,000 received for vaccination]. РБК-Украина (in Russian). Retrieved 10 March 2022.