“The Nest of the Famous Naturalist”: Early History of D. I. Mendeleev Museum and Archive

Abstract

The article is devoted to the history of the acquisition by St. Petersburg University through the mediation of the Russian Physicochemical Society (RFCS) of the furniture from D. I. Mendeleev’s study as well as his personal library and archives, and to an unrealized attempt of the Russian scientific community to erect a monument to Mendeleev in front of the university building. We also review the roles of higher officials of the Russian empire (P. A. Stolypin, A. N. Schwartz, A. A. Musin-Pushkin, and others), the university administration and professors (above all, the university rector I. I. Borgman and Professor V. E. Tishchenko), Mendeleev’s widow A. I. Mendeleeva and other figures. The article is based on a broad array of archival documents that are introduced for scientific use for the first time. When, at some point, the possibility for purchasing Mendeleevʼs heritage by the Don Polytechnic Institute opened up, the St. Petersburg scientists, especially the university faculty, got strongly set against this idea. It was this circumstance that prompted the most active members of the RFCS, most of whom were the university professors, to take decisive action, which was supported by the Russian government. The response of the press to the twists and turns of the fate of Mendeleev’s legacy is also described. Our analysis shows that the history of founding of the D. I. Mendeleev Museum and Archive at St. Petersburg University is more complicated and controversial than it appeared before.