Museum of Archeology and Ethnography

The history of the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of Samara University began with the first student archaeological expeditions in 1969, since the opening of the University in Kuibyshev (Samara). Under the leadership of the founder of the archaeological school in Samara, G.I. Matveeva, the first students of the Faculty of History began active archaeological exploration and excavations in the region.

The Educational Museum of Archaeology was opened in February 1976 at the Department of Russian History. The main goal was to familiarize future historians with the complex of material historical sources – archaeological artifacts and show how the pre-written ancient history of the region is recreated on their basis; to teach them how to work with archaeological materials and obtain historical data. In parallel, scientific research was carried out on the original unique materials collected in the Museum. Excursions for students of other universities and schoolchildren soon began. It became clear that the Museum should set broader educational and popularization goals, attracting a wide range of youth – students, schoolchildren.

The Museum's exposition vividly presents the ancient history of the Middle Volga region from 12 thousand BC. Already in 1976, 9 museum showcases presented unique authentic materials, evidence of human life in this region for 15 thousand years. Artifacts are on display here – the "main markers" of the cultures of the Stone, Bronze, Early Iron Ages, and the Middle Ages from excavations in the Southern Middle Volga region.

In 1976–1978, the Faculty of History successfully conducted two ethnographic expeditions in the region, as a result of which authentic traditional costumes of the Russian, Chuvash, Mordovian, Tatar peoples of the early twentieth century appeared in the Museum. This was the beginning of the Ethnographic Fund of the University Museum. In 1994–1995, the Ethnographic Department of the Museum was opened on the basis of ethnographic collections and acquisitions.

Since 1996, thanks to grant support, it has been possible to expand and partially conceptually update the Archaeological Department, to publish a guidebook on its sections.

In 1997–1999, the Museum was one of the first in Samara to be presented in the virtual space of the Internet. In 2020–2022, reconstruction was carried out, and in 2022 the Archaeological exposition of the Museum was reopened, including 19 showcases containing more than 1,500 artifacts. The archaeological materials collected in the museum have become an integral part of the history of the region.