The museum of people's architecture and way of life of Ukraine is located on a territory of about 150 hectares on the picturesque Kyiv outskirts near the Goloseyevsky forest. This is a remarkable ensemble of open-air exhibits. The museum is located near the village Pirogov not far from the city ring road.

Construction began in 1969 on the initiative of the Ukrainian Society far Protection of Monuments of History and Culture, The museum has been open to visitors since 1976. S.Vergovsky, T.Dovzhenko, V.Orlov, L.Pribega, V.Sikorskiy, S.Smolinsky, B.Stamov, N.Khodakovsky and others took part in developing the conception and design of the museum.

The museum structures (there are more than 300) are original examples of wooden architecture transported here from the different regions of Ukraine. The territory is divided into separate zones corresponding to the historical regions of the country.

From the main entrance, the road leads across a large wheat field to the zone Middle Pridnieprovie with the great Church of the Great Martyn Saint Paraskeva Friday (Cherkassy region, 1742), the small Church of the Archangel Michael (1601), and the unique collection of windmills ("vitriaky"). Next on the hillside comes the zone Podolie where visitors tan see the Church of Saint Nicholas and the bell tower from the beginning of the 19th century from near Gusiatin. A stone pot-house stands near the road. The complex Poltavshchina and Slobozhanshchina is situated in the centre of the museum territory. A little farther on, visitors can see the Polesiye zone with the Voskresenskaya Church (Rovenshchina, 17th-18th century) under its hipped roof. The exposition of village houses (khatas) here is unique for its age (1587 and 1687). In the northern part of the museum, the Carpathians zone is divided into small farms. The bell tower of the ancient Pokrovskaya Church rises above this zone.

The museum collection contains different kinds of structures: watermills and forges, cattle-sheds ("shopa") and granary ("komora"), threshing floors and "stodota" for storing cereals, apiaries and hen houses, cellars and wells. The visitors can enter the buildings and courtyards, see the details of old peasant life, household utensils. the stove, which was the centrepiece of any khata, since it was used for cooking, drying, heating and rest. Exhibits include objects used for housework, rest, wedding ceremonies, beautiful objects from wood and ceramics, examples of weaving and embroidery.

The employees of the museum are dressed in national costumes that appear very natural here. Pirogovo museum is the biggest establishment of its kind in Eastern Europe. Avisit to the museum allows you to get acquainted with the origins of the Ukrainian spirit and take an unforgettable walk through picturesque surroundings. Traditional fairs are organized on the territory of the museum in May and in September (at the beginning and the end of season), and holidays are celebrated according to folk traditions.