The phenomenon of collecting in Ukraine in the late XIX – early XX centuries is revealed on the example of the family of Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko. It is shown that their collection of works of art and antiquities of Ukrainian and Western European and Eastern peoples contributed not only to acquaintance with world art, but also to the revival of the historical development of Ukrainian spiritual culture and the formation of museum work in Ukraine. The use of historical comparative method and interdisciplinary approach allowed to analyze the main stages and characteristics of the family of Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko collecting artifacts, their activities to create a museum of Western art and art and science and industry in Kiev, and helped to substantiate theoretical positions and conclusions. For the first time, the article comprehensively and meaningfully reveals the concept, tasks, and characteristic features of B. and V. Khanenko’s collection of works of fine art and antiquities of the peoples of Western Europe, the East, and Ukraine. The significant contribution to the formation and development of museum work, education and spiritual culture of Ukrainians in general is highlighted. An attempt was made to further analyze the socio-political and cultural value and significance of the charitable activities of the couple, which contributed to the formation of national museum studies and museum education. The abolition of serfdom in 1861 led to the development of a market economy, the emergence of an active socio-economic group of entrepreneurs with high economic and financial status, which included Bogdan and Varvara Khanenko. The family upbringing and traditions of their famous Khanenko and Tereshchenko families became an important precondition and reason for collecting and creating a museum of works of fine art, antiques of their people and the peoples of Europe and the East. Their activity, as a socio-economic phenomenon, had a clear artistic, scientific and educational orientation, pronounced humanistic content and character, which contributed to the revival of national memory of the Ukrainian people, increasing interest in their past, historical and cultural heritage and art of the world.
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