The Odessa Art Museum celebrated its birthday for the first time on November 5

The Odessa National Art Museum celebrated its 127th anniversary. The celebration took place for the first time on November 5—the date the museum now considers its actual birthday.

An Intenta photojournalist attended the celebration.

Previously, the museum had celebrated its anniversary on November 6. However, research into old newspaper archives confirmed that the museum opened on October 24, 1899, according to the Julian calendar. At that time, the difference between the calendars was 12 days, so the corresponding date on the Gregorian calendar was November 5.

“History is not only what we remember, but also what we continue to explore,” the museum noted.

To celebrate the anniversary, the museum prepared a tea party for visitors. Odessa-based culinary researcher Yulia Sushchenko created cookies specifically for the museum, using 19th-century recipes.

Guests were offered two types of cookies. One was a sugar cookie, made according to old recipes from family cookbooks. The other was spiced, made with honey and Odesa beer. It symbolically recalls the beer hall that once operated in the basement of the museum building.

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As part of the festive program, visitors could also take a tour of the grotto and a guided tour of the museum building led by Olena Bukatar.

Museum Director Kateryna Kulay said that the team is preparing the first edition of a book that will cover the entire history of the institution—from the palace and its first owners to the building’s transformation into a museum and the present day.

According to her, the book is set to become the most comprehensive study of the museum’s history.

Ірина Глухова