The genesis of museum affairs in the Vinnytsia region: The influence of educational and cultural initiatives of the 19th – early 20th centuries

Abstract

The article examines the process of forming a museum network in the territory of Podillia in the period 1918–1924 as an important stage in preserving the cultural heritage of the region. The contribution of individual enthusiasts, the nationalization of private collections, the activities of public and educational institutions, as well as the transition from the chaotic accumulation of artifacts to an institutionalized museum space are revealed. The problems of staffing, material resources, and the influence of Soviet policy on the museum sphere are identified. The emphasis is on reorganizational measures that initiated the profiling of institutions, the creation of a regulatory framework, and the integration of museum activities into the sphere of public education and enlightenment. The aim of the article is to substantiate the genesis of museum work in the territory of Vinnytsia region in terms of the influence of educational and cultural initiatives of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Methods. The study used theoretical methods, including: analysis and synthesis, abstraction and idealization, generalization and systematization, and the historical-genetic method. Archival materials were also used, which allowed reconstructing the stages of the formation of the Podillya museum network in 1918–1924. In particular, the following were processed: documents from the funds of the state archives of the Vinnytsia region, materials of the Podillya Society for the Protection of Cultural and Historical Monuments, which contain acts, protocols, and correspondence regarding the creation of museums in Vinnytsia. Results. The paper examines the formation of the Podillia museum network (1918–1924), in particular the participation of enthusiasts, the nationalization of private collections, and the activities of educational organizations. The institutional design of museums, their regulatory framework, and integration into public education are analyzed. The key sources of museum development and the role of regional intelligentsia in the establishment of museums in the Vinnytsia region in the 19th and early 20th centuries are identified. The scientific novelty lies in the interdisciplinary analysis of museum heritage as an educational phenomenon, the introduction of new archival materials, and the substantiation of the concept of “pedagogical museology”. Conclusion.The study confirms that the process of forming the Podillia museum network in 1918–1924 was multi-vector and deeply intertwined with the socio-cultural transformations of that time.