Starting January 25, the Museum of Old Maps’ “Reading Corner” will be expanded with children’s books in Ukrainian: “куток читання”. The project was developed in close collaboration with Mona-Silvia Timofte, who aimed to broaden the range of activities available to children during their visits.
The launch event consists of a children’s workshop led by Iryna Stepanova, inspired by the book Journey Book: Ukraine, authored by Iryna Taranenko and Mariia Vorobiova, with illustrations by Marta Leshak, published by Knigolove.
The new section aims to support integration and expand access to education for children from the Ukrainian community. The initiative was launched by Ioana Zamfir (museum curator and volunteer coordinator) and implemented with the direct support of Iryna Stepanova, art therapist, volunteer, and mediator representing the Ukrainian community.
The inaugural book collection includes seven volumes in Ukrainian, selected to familiarize young audiences and families with themes related to Ukrainian history, geography, and culture. Following the project’s original strategy, the “куток читання” (“Reading Corner”) will also feature a customized bookmark connecting the information found in the books with maps from the museum’s permanent exhibition.
In the long term, the project aims to become a meeting point for Romanian and Ukrainian language speakers, with the collection to be expanded in the coming months to include bilingual volumes. The project team plans to continue organizing similar events throughout the year, built around the selected titles.
The initiative was made possible with the support of the museum’s Erasmus+ program (project manager: Ioana Zamfir), which funded both the acquisition of books and the training placement of Iryna Stepanova.
For readers interested in Ukrainian culture, Irina donated to the reading corner the volume Treasures of Ukraine: A Nation’s Cultural Heritage, in English, which explores Ukrainian art and architecture.
The Museum of Old Maps also extends its thanks to collaborators Valentina Bacu, Tetiana Chetverhova, and Seneca Anticafe for their support in carrying out this initiative.