The Expedition of Ilya G. Voznesensky to Russian America in 1839–1849 and the Formation of the American Collections in St. Petersburg Academic Museums

Expeditions were an integral part of the activity of the Russian Academy of Sciences, promoting its further development and prosperity. Expeditions also helped assemble data for future scientific development. In the first half of the 19th century, the territory of the Russian Empire included some regions of North America (Alaska, North California and the Aleutian Islands). The study of these areas was carried out with the participation of the Russian-American Company. The greatest merit for the scientific study of these regions belongs to a scientist from the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ilya G. Voznesensky. In this article, for the first time, attention will be paid to the analysis of organizational and documentary aspects of this expedition.