Over 400 relics in your pocket: "Slobidskyi Code. Church Antiquity"

From now on, unique liturgical books, icons, monuments of Cossack Baroque, and sacred objects from the 17th–20th centuries are accessible from anywhere in the world — right on your smartphone or laptop.

The basis of the project is a collection from the holdings of the Sumtsov Kharkiv Historical Museum — an important testimony to the spiritual history of Slobidshchyna. A significant portion of these items originates from pre-war Kharkiv museum collections, survived evacuation during World War II, and has been preserved to this day as a unique source of cultural memory.

Under the conditions of full-scale war, when Ukrainian cultural heritage is under constant threat of destruction, digitizing such collections is not merely a convenience, but a necessity for preserving our identity.

All this became possible thanks to a cultural and artistic project implemented by the non-governmental organization "CLIO HUB" in partnership with the V. G. Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library and the M. F. Sumtsov Kharkiv Historical Museum with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.

The project brought together a powerful community. Scholars, museum workers, lecturers, and students of Kharkiv universities joined its creation and promotion, as well as the 5th Slobidskyi Brigade of the NGU "Skif", which daily defends the region and provided information support to the initiative.

Thanks to a specially developed website and a mobile application with VR technology support, the digitized treasures became accessible to schoolchildren, students, researchers, internally displaced persons, and Ukrainians who found themselves abroad.

The editorial staff decided to test the new digital capabilities firsthand.

The multimedia catalog left the most pleasant impression. It works fast, clearly, and intuitively. High-quality detailed photos, comprehensive descriptions, and easy navigation allow users to seamlessly study the sacred art of Slobidshchyna.

However, the virtual 3D exhibition turned out to be a test of patience.

While viewing from a laptop, the museum hall was "running away," the white dot cursor seemed too small, and the exhibits themselves on the screen looked like mysterious white silhouettes.

Despite the fact that the developers added detailed instructions for users (suggesting moving using the W A S D keys), the modern reader wants to immerse themselves in the virtual space "in one click" and without extra preparations. So, such an online tour will require time, patience, and a bit of perseverance.

Nevertheless, creating such a volume of digital content is a huge step forward for museum work in Kharkiv.

You can get acquainted with the collections and test the VR space at the following links:

• 📖 Multimedia catalog

• 🕶️ Virtual 3D exhibition

Earlier, the project "Slobidskyi Code. Ukrainian Embroidery" (https://slobocode.art/uk-UA) was presented in Kharkiv — a modern approach to the preservation and promotion of the unique cultural heritage of Slobidshchyna. To create a multimedia catalog of traditional Slobidshchyna embroidery, a team of ethnologists, museum workers, IT specialists, and designers joined forces.

More illustrations in the Ukrainian original.