To a Question of Establishing the Network of Local Lore Museums in the Second Half of XIX - Early XX Centuries
The history of formation of regional local museums is a classic story of Museum development in the Russian province. There were two ways of education of the regional museums. Some of them arose as a result of the activities of institutions studying the region, for example, the museums of provincial statistical committees, district councils, local scientific societies. The other was created as independent institution-based initiatives and efforts of individual representatives of local intelligentsia, who understood the importance of studying the region for its further development. Local museums were the place of storage, scientific processing, systematization of the materials collected in the region study. Visibility and accessibility of systematic and exhibited in museums collections contributed to the promotion of knowledge about the region. The story of the first museums of local lore identifies common features: they were conceived as an institution, the purpose of which was not in the organization of the region study, and revival of interest in this activity among the local intellectuals based on local, regional material. The short duration of the existence of local history museums was connected with the fact that the initiative of their organization came from individual representatives of local intelligentsia, who understood the importance of studying the region for its further development. This initiative was not always supported from the side of authorities and public of a particular region. There was no systematic replenishment of Museum exhibits, picking passed from time to time, mainly due to the materials of research expeditions.