The Tereshchenkos were a prominent noble family from Hlukhiv, granted noble status in 1870.
They were renowned philanthropists, using their wealth to fund the construction and operation of hospitals, orphanages, gymnasiums, and schools. As passionate art collectors and patrons, the Tereshchenkos played a vital role in shaping Ukraine’s cultural heritage. Thanks to Mykola and Fedir Artemovych Tereshchenko and their children—Ivan, Oleksandr, Varvara, and Olha—Kyiv is now home to several national museums, including the Taras Shevchenko Museum, the National Art Museum of Ukraine, and museums of Western and Eastern art.
The family's humanitarian efforts were especially significant during World War I. In 1914, Mykhailo Tereshchenko personally opened and financed a 300-bed hospital. Other family members followed suit, establishing additional hospitals, an orphanage, and a shoe workshop for disabled soldiers. Mykola Tereshchenko also supported numerous educational and medical institutions, including the First Commercial School, the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, the Kyiv-Podil Women's Gymnasium, the City Museum of Antiquities and Art, the Pirogov Hospital, and was instrumental in founding the OKHMATDYT children's hospital in Kyiv.
Charity and compassion were core values of the Tereshchenko family. For decades, their philanthropic legacy remained largely unrecognized, but following Ukraine’s independence, their contributions were finally acknowledged and honored.