Samara Public Museum in Social and Cultural Development of the Region: History of Creation and Formation of the Collection.
The second half of the XIX century is a new phase in the history of museums in Russia. Samara is one of the cities, where the first public museums appear on the initiative of the public good. The development of capitalist relations contributed to the recovery of public life, the merchant turns into a powerful layer of Russian society with its own specific interests, lifestyle, spiritual and aesthetic needs; they have sponsored many of the ideas and projects aimed at improving urban life, improvement of infrastructure. Samara museum created on the initiative of local authorities, recognizing the need for wide dissemination of science and cul-ture among the masses. Therefore, the appearance in the 1880th in a provincial merchant town museum is not only one indication of rapid economic and cultural development of this region, but also a significant event in cultural life of Samara.