Muravska S. Museums of the Higher Educational Establishments in Western Ukraine in the Context of Their Historical Development (XIXth – the вeginning of the XXIth century).

An overview of the historiography of the problem has shown the considerable interest of researchers to the field of museum science. The scientific thought about the fact that the Museum of HEE is a complex mechanism interspersing the spaces of the museum and the high school is confirmed. It is proved that combining museums of higher schools with school museums into one category is incorrect. The thought is proved that the collections are separate groups in the structure of HEE heritage; at the same time, they exist parallel with museums. There were 166 museums and collections in the western region of Ukraine in January 2018, but this number is a dynamic one. Leadership belongs to museums of the natural and historical profile, including the history of education. The largest number of treasures is concentrated in Lviv and Ternopil regions. This fact is due primarily to the HEE history. Many valuable collections take their roots from the University of Lviv. Museums and collections are in very different buildings, mostly adapted. More than 80 collections may be considered as museums as they are located in a special closed room and are under the supervision of designated staff. Most of “Temples of museums” do not have official status; it means they are not registered in the system of Ministry of Education and Science. The research as a function of the university “temples of muses” has transformed over the past 30 years. It is realised in museums with a long history, although the opinion about the scale of this process is largely stereotyped. Also, despite the stereotype, only one-third of the HEE collections in Western Ukraine defines the providing educational process as their main task. It can be clearly stated that the main mission of the “muse temples” of the high school is in the space outside studies and research in the XXth century. The main focus of most of them is enlightening work. The potential for the organisation of such activity is almost inexhaustible.