The study finds that in modern historiographical discourse, the scientific ideas of O. Tsinkalovsky and his activities in the cultural and educational fields is represented by fragmentary investigations in scientific, popular science, bibliographic and periodical publications. The vast majority of them appeared during the years of independent Ukraine. Despite the recognition of his work as a scientist, museologist, educator, we observe the imperfect periodicity of researches of various aspects of O. Tsinkalovky’s works and lack of a comprehensive scientific study
There was analyzed the influence of the family on the formation of the researcher's worldview. It is claimed that the upbringing of parents, and especially the grandfather of the scientist - Pavlo Nitetsky, determined his interest in Ukrainian history and culture, which was later embodied in the scientific and journalistic works of the researcher. Coming from a line of Poles, Germans, Tatars, and living in an environment far from native culture, he became a true patriot of Ukraine. It is shown that the family traditions determined Oleksandr Tsinkalovsky's interest in the region's past.
There is described the beginnings of cultural, educational and professional work, as well as revealed the role of intellectual environments of Kremenets, Lviv, Kyiv, Warsaw in the formation of O. Tsinkalovsky's worldview. In the paper there is highlighted the influence of some Polish and Ukrainian scientists (V. Antonevich, T. Sulimirsky, I. Shedryk) on his formation as a scientist.During the first decades of twentieth century occurs the formation of O. Tsinkalovky as socio-political and cultural-educational figure in the circumstances of the First World War and the Ukrainian National Revolution of 1917–1921. He became a prominent representative of Ukrainian national life in Western Volyn region in the interwar period. In the research paper was reproduced his participation in “Prosvita”, which in the interwar decade was the most common method of the Ukrainian cultural and educational movement. In Volyn region, “Prosvita” in Volodymyr town, to which belonged O. Tsinkalovsky, received significant recognition.
It is stated that the central point of O. Tsinkalovsky's interest has always been the problems of Ukrainian people history. He always defended the indivi duality of Ukrainians, the originality and originality of their past, language and culture. In the field of scientific activity, the special worth of O. Tsinkalovsky is the study of one of the Ukrainian regions - Volyn. Among the scientists, who during the twentieth century wrote about the Volyn region, O. Tsinkalovsky takes pride of place. In addition, the researcher's attention was also drawn to Chelm Land, Lemkivshchyna and Podlasie.
The role of Oleksandr Tsinkalovsky in Ukrainian historical science is determined by the following at least ten areas of his researches. On the basis of own research and some proposed in the national historiography, we will separate following: research of the ancient history of Volyn region, all archeological cultures, startin g from the Paleolithic to the Iron Age, including the selection of local cultures; identification, fixation and preservation of landmarks of material cultures; research of wooden and stone architectural buildings, heritage assets; sacred art – churches of pre-Mongol, Mongol and post-Mongol times (in Volyn, Galicia and Lemkivshchynaregions); engolpions, wooden and stone crosses, sacred image exhibitions; historical and local essays, especially stands out the research on historical local study “Old Volyn region and Volyn Polissya (local dictionary from ancient times till 1914 year)” (Winnipeg, 1984) and “Ancient heritage assets of Volyn region” (Toronto, 1975); historical and geographical surveys on the topography of cities and towns - Litovezh, Makhnivka, Nebel, Peresopnytsia, Suteyska, Cherven and Chervensky towns, Shumsk; especially descriptions of Kremyanets (“Volyn Switzerland”); historical cartography (archeological atlas of Volyn and Volyn Polissya as a part of twelve original and unique author's maps, Kremyanets 1939); research on historical local bibliography (reviews of Ukraine in European historical literature); problems of theory and practice of museum studies on the basis of considerable personal work experience in museums of Warsaw, Krakow, Kremyanets, Lviv in the 20-50s of the twentieth century; hydrology (Pripyat River and its confluents, 1960); paleontological studies.
It is also important to properly recognize his influence on the development of Volyn studies, accept of his scientific achievements. The paper shows various aspects of perpetuating the memory of the scientist -this is, first of all, the publication of works published by him or about him; holding a number of scientific conferences dedicated to the scientist; installation of memorial plaques in honor of the Volyn scholar; naming streets in Volodymyr and Kovel after him, etc.
