Vasily Alexandrovich Troshin: from a Socialist Revolutionary to the founder of the Marcial Waters Museum

This article offers the first comprehensive examination of the activities of Vasily Alexandrovich Troshin, the first director of the Marcial Waters Museum. The relevance of this research stems from the increasing interest in “local” history and biographical studies (biographics) in recent decades. The originality of this work lies in the identification and introduction of previously overlooked information about V. A. Troshin, an undeservedly forgotten representative of the democratic intelligentsia in Karelia, who was an active participant in the Revolution of 1905-1907 during his youth and later became a local historian and founder of the Marcial Waters Museum in the post-war period. The article draws upon archival sources from V. A. Troshin’s personal collection, housed in the Scientific Archives of the Karelian Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Through this analysis, numerous episodes from his extensive and eventful life are revealed, highlighting his contributions to local history, education, and the museum sector in Karelia. Additionally, the article reviews Troshin’s memoirs, emphasizing their significance for studying the cultural and educational endeavors of teachers and local historians in the Olonets Province and the Karelian Labor Commune, as well as museum practices in Karelia and the political history of the Russian North.