Employees of the museum of local lore in Samara are firmly convinced that they are engaged in the most interesting and noble business. “Genuine local history is always a love of local lore, ” they say. And what could be more important than studying and preserving your land?
The Samara Museum has always been lucky for caring people. Together with the country, he was going through different times; periods of destruction and crises also fell on him. But there were always specialists who restored the old and created the new.
"To serve as one of the means of studying the Samara region …"
The Samara province, together with all of Russia, had long been preparing for the celebration of the solemn anniversary dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the reign of Alexander II. Then, in the late 70s of the XIX century, the idea of creating the first public museum arose among the provincial elite. But it sounded officially for the first time only in 1880 at a meeting of the City Duma in a report by P.V. Alabina. A proposal was made to open a public library and museum in one building, that is, to create a center for the education of citizens.
The proposal was supported, but with its implementation, there were constant delays. The date of birth of the local history museum in Samara is considered November 13, 1886, the day of adoption of the relevant resolution by the Samara City Duma.
Museum opening
Without waiting for an official decision, the actual state adviser Pyotr Vladimirovich Alabin began in 1880 to collect exhibits for the future museum. Two years later, upon learning of this, the chairman of the board of trustees signed a document officially confirming this right of Peter Vladimirovich. So, long before the appearance of the P.V. Museum Alabin became his first manager.
Exhibits for the museum were brought by people of different classes. Among them were teachers, ministers of art, ordinary residents of the region. Grand Duke Nikolai Konstantinovich was also among the donors. All subjects were studied, taken into account and strictly guarded.
The allocated several rooms in the house of the public library did not allow the museum to be opened for visits. It happened in 1898 after moving to a new building. But the founder of the museum did not live to see this day, leaving his successor rich, well-organized material. Today, the inscription on the facade reads: "Alabin Museum of Local Lore in Samara."
Soviet museum
By the beginning of the Soviet period, the Alabin Museum of Local Lore in Samara was formed as a major cultural and educational center. The revolutionary events in the country, of course, touched him. Immediately severe censorship was imposed on materials and exhibits, and objectionable exposures were closed. A group of teachers at Samara University was involved in the reorganization of the museum in the light of new, revolutionary requirements. But the work they created was canceled, and the professors were accused of counter-revolutionary activity.
Only after the professor of the university V.V. was appointed the head of the museum of local lore in Samara in 1921 Golmsten, chaos ceased, and the museum began normal operation. Over the years of leadership, Vera Vladimirovna revived the museum, contributed to the opening of new exhibits, and joined other museums that became its branches. In the prewar years, the Kuibyshev Regional Museum of Local Lore became one of the major cultural centers of the Volga region.
War and the postwar years
Being in the rear, museum staff had the opportunity to take care of the funds. More than 1000 items of precious metals were deposited with the State Bank, museum funds were mothballed. When government offices were evacuated to the city, the museum urgently left the spacious building, providing it to visitors. Later it turned out that when moving about 900 objects of historical and cultural value were lost.
The Museum of Local Lore in Samara (Kuibyshev) re-opened in the late 50s. It opened in a small church building, where he moved during the war years. He later changed buildings repeatedly. A lot of work was done to study new materials, create exhibits reflecting modern events, educate and train citizens. The museum was enlarged, replenished with branches.
