Located more or less at the spot where history began for Kyiv, this huge museum has been fully modernised in recent years and represents a fantastic stroll through all stages of Ukraine's past, from the Stone Age to the ongoing war with Russia in the east. Displays are in chronological order, and while not all are in English, each room has an English placard describing the period of history covered within.
Some of the most interesting displays are on the top floor, where Ukraine's modern revolutions and the war with Russia are covered through poignant photos, press clippings and war-battered signs and other objects. Expect more such exhibits to be added as history unfolds.
Highlights from more distant epochs include an excellent collection of medieval armour, a fantastic diorama of Kyiv at the time of the Kyivan Rus, and a gilded carriage given to Rafael Zaborovsky, metropolitan of Kyiv in the 18th century, by the daughter of Peter the Great.