by Valentin PETROV, Dr. Sc. (Geol. & Mineral.), Director of the Center for Humanitarian Problems of the Barents Region, Yevgeniya PATSIYA, Director of the Archives Museum of History and Development of the European North of Russia, Olga SHABALINA, Cand. Sc. (Hist.), Chief Curator of the Archives Museum, RAS Kola Research Center (Apatity, Murmansk Region) "Anyone in pursuit of human genius in its noble fight against superstition and darkness should read the history of Arctic journeys made by the people who were not afraid to bravely face the unknown. Perhaps, it is the only sphere of knowledge obtained at such a high price of adversities, miseries, and pain. However, human genius will not feel safe until every square foot of this severe region is conquered by man, until all secrets of the North are solved." These words of the famous Norwegian natural scientist and traveler Fridtjof Nansen fully reflect the message of the exposition of the Archives Museum of History and Development of the European North of Russia under the Center for Humanitarian Problems of the Barents Region of the RAS Kola Research Center. Established in 1974 in the city of Apatity, the museum has been serving its main goal for almost 40 years. Today the museum keeps over 2,100 articles in its principal depository and over 1,300 units in the auxiliary research storehouse. The main ideologists of the project were employees of the Kola Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, full members of the USSR Geographical Society Boris Koshechkin, Cand. Sc. (Geogr.), and Iona Freidin, Dr. Sc. (Geogr.). In 1970, upon completion of the 5th Congress of the Geographical Society held, inter alia, to discuss an opportunity to revive the Central Geographical Museum set up by the outstanding geographer Veniamin Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky (1870-1942), the scientists resolved to create a museum dedicated to the history of scientific research in the European North in the small town of Apatity. By that time, ... Читать далее