On 6 July 2025, to mark the 140th anniversary of the founding of the Ivan Levynskyi Factory, a thematic Museum-Studio was opened in Lviv on the grounds of the former enterprise. This new space is dedicated to the legacy of Ivan Levynskyi – an outstanding Ukrainian architect, builder, and industrialist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The museum is located in one of the buildings that once housed Ivan Levynskyi’s factory, at 58 Henerala Chuprynky Street. It was initiated by the design company A7 HAB, whose architectural department provided part of the premises it rented for this purpose. This was once the site where decorative ceramics and plaster finishes were produced, and carpentry workshops operated. Today, it houses a thematic museum.
The history of the factory began when in 1885 Ivan Levynskyi, together with Julian Zachariewicz, bought the Kastelivka land in the northwestern part of Lviv (Novyi Svit district) to build a manor house quarter next to the new buildings of Lviv Polytechnic.
On one of the plots, at 58 Chuprynky Street, Levynskyi also set up a building materials store, where, among other things, he sold products from one of the most famous ceramic factories in Europe, Barta & Tichy (B&T) from Prague. In 1888, Ivan Levynskyi decided to start his own production of ceramic products (tiles) and other finishing materials.
In addition to highlighting the history of the factory and its founder, the museum’s exposition features a collection of artefacts discovered on the factory grounds, along with samples of its original products. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a sculptural portrait of Ivan Levynskyi, created by renowned Lviv sculptor Viktor Prodanchuk. One of the halls features projects by students from the Department of Architectural Environment Design, the Institute of Architecture and Design, Lviv Polytechnic. Their work explores innovative ideas for revitalising the factory buildings and transforming them into creative spaces for work and study.
«In fact, four years ago, our bureau, together with the Union of Architects and Lviv Polytechnic, held a student workshop called Ivan Levynskyi’s Factory – Lviv Bauhaus. We promised then that we would make a small museum here. A lot of people come here, we tell them about Levynskyi and give them tours. Until recently, the rich history of the factory remained largely unknown, making it difficult to grasp its true significance. Now, as we mark the 10th anniversary of our office being located on the factory grounds, we’ve decided to establish a museum. This anniversary initiative aims to highlight the factory’s crucial role in the development of Lviv’s architecture», said Bohdan Hoy, chief architect of A7, Associate Professor at the Department of Architectural Environment Design.
