This collection was created over more than 20 years by the talented Mykolaiv artist Mariia Makarova.
Mariia Makarova worked at the Mykolaiv Academic Regional Puppet Theater for over 28 years. She crafted stage sets, puppets, and costumes for performances, worked with graphics, photography, and leather, and created original art dolls and jewelry.
However, cats held a special place in her life. Mariia helped stray animals, treated them, and found them homes. Her love for these animals eventually turned into an amazing collection that she carefully gathered for about two decades.
Sadly, Mariia Makarova passed away on August 29, 2025. Yet her creativity, love for art, and the special world she built continue to live on.
By the decision of her loved ones, the "Cat's House" collection was donated to the Marko Kropyvnytskyi Central Library. Today, it features over 2.5 thousand exhibits that came to Mariia from various corners of the world over the years.
During the opening, guests explored the collection, remembered Mariia, and spoke of her creativity, talent, and incredible love for cats.
Every item here is not just a small figurine. It is a piece of history, a memory, and a fragment of the vast world Mariia created.
Now "Cat's House" lives in the library, opening up its author's creative world to visitors and preserving her memory.
We invite you to visit "Cat's House" and discover this unique collection with a deeply personal story behind it.
