"Museums for Society": About the Work of Collectors in the Cities of the Irkutsk Province in the Second Half of the 19th Century

Abstract

Relevance. In the second half of the 19th century, there was a noticeable increase in the interest of citizens in museums, which is confirmed by the preserved historical documents. The plots presented in the article make it possible to understand the principles and directions of work of collectors in the cities of the Irkutsk province. As a result of the study of objects, the creation of art, ethnographic collections of museum funds, the research capabilities of scientists are expanding. The purpose is to trace the process of organizing the work of collectors in the cities of the Irkutsk province to develop the museum space as a center of the scientific community in the second half of the 19th century. Objectives: to identify documents from the collections of the archives of Irkutsk, which give an idea of the main stages in the formation of thematic areas of museum collections; follow the work of collectors as part of scientific teams in the creation and design of expositions and exhibition spaces; consider the areas of work of collectors in the acquisition of museum collections; determine the role of collectors in understanding the significance of museums for the development of Siberian society and the study of the region. Methodology. When writing the article, the following are included: the principle of historicism, objectivity, scientific character, problem-chronological and historical-genetic methods. Results. In the collections of the archives of Irkutsk there are documents that confirm the versatile work of col-lectors to maintain the museum business. In the second half of the 19th century, there was an increased interest of citizens in museums as scientific and educational centers for the study of the cultural and natural wealth of the region. Conclusions. Collectors of the Irkutsk province unite in the process of holding events organized by various museum spaces. The involvement of many citizens in significant exhibition and educational projects confirms that the public participated in the creation of museums. An increased interest in the study of the region was manifested as a result of determining the importance of museums for the development of society. Documents about the museum at the East Siberian Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society made it possible to restore the work of collectors.