The “Idem v Muzei” website is a constantly evolving resource reflecting the dynamics of the museum world. An important stage in the platform’s development was the creation of the "Persons" section, dedicated to people who made a significant contribution to the development of Russian culture, science and art, and who are closely connected with museum work. The project team’s main task was to collect and systematize information about the lives and achievements of outstanding individuals whose names are immortalized in the names of museums across the country. In this article we tell the story of creating the section and searching for information.
The "Persons" section is the result of focused work based on several key principles:
Contribution to the country's development
The section contains biographies of state and religious figures, writers, artists, composers, scientists, engineers, cosmonauts, builders, founders and directors of museums, curators, researchers, patrons, collectors, restorers, as well as outstanding cultural figures whose works are preserved and exhibited in museums. The top 10 persons after whom the most museums are named are: A. S. Pushkin, F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy, A. M. Gorky, N. A. Ostrovsky, M. I. Tsvetaeva, Peter I, V. I. Lenin, M. A. Sholokhov, Y. A. Gagarin.
Representativeness
We aimed to cover a wide range of personalities representing different eras, regions of Russia and spheres of museum activity. This made it possible to create a more complete picture of the development of the museum field in the country.
Reliability of information
All biographical data were carefully verified and cross-checked with multiple sources. Each biography is based on archival materials, scholarly publications and data provided by museums.
The search for information on each person was a complex task involving several stages:
Analysis of museum collections
We worked in close contact with the collections of museums associated with the lives and activities of the selected individuals. This allowed access to unique documents and photographs that are not always available to the general public.
Archival research
For a deeper study of the biographies, state and departmental archives were consulted, as well as the personal archives of descendants of well-known figures. This made it possible to reconstruct a more complete picture of the lives and activities of the persons.
Review of scholarly literature
Biographical information was supplemented and refined based on analysis of scholarly literature, monographs and articles dedicated to the selected persons and their era.
Consultations with experts
In complex cases requiring specialized knowledge, experts were involved — historians, museum professionals and art historians.
The "Persons" section is the result of months of work and is a valuable resource for researchers, museum professionals, students and all those interested in the history of culture and museums in Russia. Work on the section continues — new personalities are constantly being added, and information about existing ones is expanded and updated. This is a living project aimed at preserving the memory of people who left a mark on the country's history.
