Museum of Sexual Cultures

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

The Museum of Sexual Cultures (Ukrainian: Музей сексу і сексуальних культур світу, romanized: Muzey 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.

Background

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

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

  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.