Quirky and Unusual Sights #2 - The Easter Egg Museum in Kolomyya, Ukraine

The museum of Ukrainian easter eggs in Kolomyya is a dominant landmark of the town and a major tourist draw, in part thanks to the fact that the museum itself is shaped like a giant painted pysanky (Ukrainian painted Easter egg). The museum was constructed in the year 2000 and was opened during a traditional Hutsul cultural festival.

The museum contains a collection of over ten thousand uniquely painted eggs, with almost all regions of Ukraine represented with their individual patterns and styles. Many of the eggs are modern recreations of traditional styles, but there are also a good number of eggs in the collection that date from the 19th century, mostly ones collected in the surrounding region of Kolomyya and Ivano-Frankivsk. There are also eggs from many other Slavic countries, as well as some that come from Romania, Sweden, and as far away as India and Canada. There is another giant easter egg in Vegreville, Alberta, Canada, which celebrates the Ukrainian heritage of many of the town's citizens.

Kolomyya is best reached by train from Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk or Chernivtsi, and the best place to stay in the town is undoubtedly the On The Corner pension, run by a wonderful family who really make you feel at home with great home-cooked meals and lots of good advice for travellers.