The museum consists of the memorial complex and the underground Hall of Memory that houses permanent exhibitions and artifacts from the famines’ periods.
The memorial complex was conceptualized and designed by the Ukrainian folk artist Anatoliy Haydamaka and architect Yuriy Kovalyov.
The symbolism of the famines’ events and human sufferings is amply portrayed on the museums’ grounds and in its architecture.

The entrance of the alley to the memorial complex is framed by two statues of angels, referred to as the Angels of Sorrow.
The angels represent the guardians of the souls of the starved.
In the centre of the alley, 24 millstones (the Millstones of Destiny) are set in a circle and carry a dual meaning.
On the one hand, they symbolize the source of food and life.
On the other hand, they represent a 24-hour clock, reminding that up to 24,000 human lives were ground to death daily during the Holodomor.
A haunting statue of a young girl clutching a handful of wheat stands is in the middle of the alley.
This statue, named the Bitter Memory of Childhood, is dedicated to the most vulnerable victims of starvation – children.
Picking up wheat left on the collective farm fields after reaping was considered a crime and was punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment or even death.
The paving leading to the centre of the memorial and the Hall of Memory symbolizes the highly fertile black soils of Ukraine.
The central part of the memorial is a white, 30-meter high candle-shaped monument, known as the Candle of Memory.
The monument is decorated with glass crosses of different sizes arranged in a Ukrainian folk embroidery pattern.
The crosses symbolize the souls of the famines’ victims, young and old.
The bronze figures of storks soaring from the base of the monument represent the rebirth of the Ukrainian nation.

Below ground is a well-conceived Hall of Memory.
In the Hall, visitors have an opportunity to commemorate the famines' victims by lighting a candle and by ringing a bell.
A 20-minute educational film about the Ukrainian famines is projected on the walls of the Hall.
A collection of artefacts dating back to the famines is displayed.
These include period farm equipment, agricultural tools and household items.
Visitors also have an opportunity to browse the volumes of the National Memory Book of Famine’s Victims of 1932-1933 and provide information about their relatives who died of starvation in Ukraine.

The Hall of Memory leads visitors to the Black Board Alley.
The symbolic black boards document the names of Ukrainian towns and villages which had suffered during the dark years of the famines.
The names of 14 thousand villages and towns of Ukraine are engraved on the boards, which have become one of the most striking symbols of the Holodomor.
The museum consists of the memorial complex and the underground Hall of Memory that houses permanent exhibitions and artifacts from the famines’ periods. The memorial complex was conceptualized and designed by the Ukrainian folk artist Anatoliy Haydamaka and architect Yuriy Kovalyov. The symbolism of the famines’ events and human sufferings is amply portrayed on the museums’ grounds and in its architecture.
The entrance of the alley to the memorial complex is framed by two statues of angels, referred to as the Angels of Sorrow. The angels represent the guardians of the souls of the starved. In the centre of the alley, 24 millstones (the Millstones of Destiny) are set in a circle and carry a dual meaning. On the one hand, they symbolize the source of food and life. On the other hand, they represent a 24-hour clock, reminding that up to 24,000 human lives were ground to death daily during the Holodomor. A haunting statue of a young girl clutching a handful of wheat stands is in the middle of the alley. This statue, named the Bitter Memory of Childhood, is dedicated to the most vulnerable victims of starvation – children. Picking up wheat left on the collective farm fields after reaping was considered a crime and was punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment or even death. The paving leading to the centre of the memorial and the Hall of Memory symbolizes the highly fertile black soils of Ukraine. The central part of the memorial is a white, 30-meter high candle-shaped monument, known as the Candle of Memory. The monument is decorated with glass crosses of different sizes arranged in a Ukrainian folk embroidery pattern. The crosses symbolize the souls of the famines’ victims, young and old. The bronze figures of storks soaring from the base of the monument represent the rebirth of the Ukrainian nation.
Below ground is a well-conceived Hall of Memory. In the Hall, visitors have an opportunity to commemorate the famines' victims by lighting a candle and by ringing a bell. A 20-minute educational film about the Ukrainian famines is projected on the walls of the Hall. A collection of artefacts dating back to the famines is displayed. These include period farm equipment, agricultural tools and household items. Visitors also have an opportunity to browse the volumes of the National Memory Book of Famine’s Victims of 1932-1933 and provide information about their relatives who died of starvation in Ukraine.
The Hall of Memory leads visitors to the Black Board Alley. The symbolic black boards document the names of Ukrainian towns and villages which had suffered during the dark years of the famines. The names of 14 thousand villages and towns of Ukraine are engraved on the boards, which have become one of the most striking symbols of the Holodomor.
National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide