Museum of the Chernihiv Provincial Statistical Committee

1 June 1877 on the pages of the local magazine "Chernihiv Diocesan News" was published a journal of the Chernihiv Provincial Statistical Committee for 15 January 1877 р., where among the materials on the current work of the institution, it was also about creating a museum. So, the secretary of the state committee Nikolay Konstantinovich submitted the corresponding note, where he presented his vision for the establishment of the museum of the Chernihiv Provincial Statistical Committee, which would serve as a base and center for the study of the historical past of the region.

Thoughts about the establishment of a museum in Chernihiv were voiced in the distant past 1865 Dr.. then Secretary of the State Committee and the famous historian Alexander Lazarevsky. Chairman of the Statistical Committee Governor Mikhail Daragan in 1876 Dr.. initiated the revival of the idea of ​​creating a museum institution, agreed to allocate space for a museum under the Chernihiv Provincial Board (нині, Державний архів Чернігівської області) and personally instructed M. Konstantinovich to make the corresponding program. The program was about the structure of the future museum, list of required exhibits. There should have been such departments of the exposition - the department of antiquities, ethnographic, artistic, industrial, geographical. Actually, it was a question of formation of departmental museum of local lore. Committee members supported the proposal to create a museum, the program proposed by the secretary of the institution was also approved. It was to be printed and sent to the county leaders of the nobility, employees of zemstvos, city ​​officials and individuals for that, that they facilitate the collection of items for the future museum. The idea of ​​creating the first museum in Chernihiv was personally supported by the then governor M.. Daragan and the head of the diocese, Bishop Serapion (Mayevsky).

State Committee on 1877 Dr.. had a collection of coins (one gold, 32 silver, 38 copper), library - 148 volumes of Rumyantsev's description of Little Russia (1765–1769), 214 books (317 томів), near 100 brochures.

At that time they were members of the Chernihiv Statistical Committee: famous archaeologist Dmitry Samokvasov, historian Alexander Lazarevsky, Mayor Vasyl Khyzhnyakov, artist Ivan Rashevsky, lawyer Mykola Shugurov, famous public figures Alexander Tyshchinsky, Fedor Umanets, Alexander Khanenko, local historian and priest Andriy Stradomsky, etc.. Such a respectable galaxy of famous public figures, historians and local historians could fully support the idea of ​​arranging a museum.

Actually, the journal of the statistical committee deals with the formation and organization of the first museum in Chernihiv. An appropriate decision was made and approved, which was supported by the leadership of the province and the diocese, agreed program of the future museum, appropriate premises are provided, the state committee had a library and owned a collection (old prints, рукописи, numismatics). Officials and employees of various levels were involved in the collection of items. In the future, development of the museum was slowed down due to lack of support and understanding of the new leadership of the Statistical Committee and Chernihiv Province (Governor M. Daragan was released in July 1878 р.). The next leader of Chernihiv region is Anatoliy Shostak, obviously, did not show a desire to promote the "museum project".

De jure, it was decided to establish a departmental museum (did not receive visitors). Such a museum was the museum of the Chernihiv Provincial Scientific Archival Commission in the first years of its activity. Full support for the new institution, during his term, provided by Chernihiv Governor Eugene Andrievsky. With the formation of the archival commission, in 1896-1897 рр. some items from the State Committee were transferred to her museum.

In our opinion, January 1877 Dr.. it is appropriate to consider it as the year of the beginning of the museum business in Chernihiv and Chernihiv region. The Museum of the Statistical Committee and the institution itself became an important prerequisite for the creation of the museum of the Chernihiv Archival Commission., ensured the continuity of the development of the museum business, organization and study of the historical past of Chernihiv region.

Deputy Director of Research

Maxim the Blue