Odessa Archeological Museum was the first museum founded in the city and is one of the oldest in CIS. There are more then 160,000 exhibits providing excellent illustration of North Black Sea coast - from the first appearance of man up to the emergence of the ancient Russian state, Kievan Rus. Museum displays ancient artifacts – collection of priceless ornaments and jewelry from the 5th to the 1st centuries B.C. and coins dating from the 6th century B.C. The excavation of Olbia, Khersonesus, Panticapea, Tyras and other ancient Greek colonies on the Black Sea has mainly contributed these outstanding collections.
Fine Arts Museum. The Museum has an amazing collection of icons from the 14th -15th century and 18th-19th century paintings - Aivazovsky, Repin, Vrubel, Serov, Savrasov and Kramskoy. Early 20th century paintings are represented as well, including works of Rorich, Benz, Somov, Serebriakova, Kandinski. The building of the museum used to be the palace of Count Pototsky and was raised in 1805. Exquisitely ornamented halls with painted ceilings, beautiful parquet floors, made of rare kinds of wood and fine marble mantelpieces lend an elegant atmosphere to high class painting collections.
Museum of Literature. Used to be the residence of Count Gagarin. The building is completely restored and is really beautiful. The museum collection amounts to 40,000 exhibits. It represents the works of Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Jewish, Bulgarian, etc. writers and illustrates their links with Odessa. The list includes about 300 names. If you study literature this museum will be of a great interest.
Naval Museum. The building of Naval Museum was originally the English Club raised in 1842. The museum has a vast collection, which traces the history of local shipbuilding and navigation from ancient times to present days. The exhibits include automatic models, diagrams, and instruments, which are inherent to ship's bridges and radio cabins. There is an imitation of a ship’s sway, the sound of waves.
Museum of Partisan Glory. More then 400 km of natural sandstone catacombs are buried beneath Odessa. The part of catacombs used by resistance fighters in 1941 (World War II) is open to public. Down in the catacombs, the first thing that strikes you is an absolute darkness, intense humidity and profound silence. So, definitely it is not for the claustrophobic.
Western and Oriental Arts Museum. One of the best in Ukraine. The museum was founded in 1924 on the basis of private collections in the premises of a wealthy Odessa merchant. The museum has awesome collection of European masterpieces and antiquities from Italy, Holland, France and Flounders. The collection includes replicas of antique sculpture, Ancient Greek ceramics and Roman glassware. The oriental art is represented by the works from China, Japan, India, Mongolia and Tibet. The interior is richly decorated: molded ceilings and parquet floors made of valuable species of wood.
