Features of the formation of the Petrograd-Leningrad museum network (1917-1940)

The work serves the aim of establishing the quantitative and qualitative composition of the museum network of Petrograd-Leningrad in 1917-1940, determining the dynamics of its development, and identifying changes that took place in the museum management system during this period. Documents and legislative acts, research on the history of museum affairs, data from Internet sites of current museums that operated or emerged during the period described were used. The research optics is based on the use of classical methods of historical research (diachronic, comparative-historical, historical-genetic, typological, etc.), applied on the basis of a systemic-historical approach; the use of structural-functional analysis was also significant. The processes characteristic of the development of the museum sphere of the northern capital during the period under review are considered. The lack of a clear thematic profile in some museums is emphasized. The author classifies museums in the form of tables, developed mainly on the material of the 1930s and reflecting, in particular, the functional purpose of museums and their place in the management structure. Changes in the management system of the Petrograd-Leningrad museum network are analyzed. The city’s museum network in the 1920s was mainly represented by museums of landowner life, which were used to contrast the lifestyle of the former elite with the interests and aspirations of the people, as well as a material confirmation of the need for revolutionary changes. In the 1930s, the largest in terms of quantity, quality and attention from the Soviet government during museum construction was the group of historical and revolutionary museums, represented by memorial apartments of Lenin and other leaders of the revolution. The second largest group was natural history (natural science) and techno-economic museums; the third largest group was history and everyday life museums. Thus, during the period under study, the museum network was developing in a historical-revolutionary direction, the city’s museum industry was ideologically transforming and becoming an instrument of political propaganda. The museum management system was constantly reorganized; its features were the collapse of the museum management apparatus created in the 1920s, the ignorance of museum specifics, personnel repressions, and the outflow of management personnel from museums to various departments