Moscow Society of Naturalists

In 1805 it was founded as the Imperial Society of Naturalists of Moscow (French: Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou) under the auspices of two noblemen, Mikhail Muravyov and Alexis Razumovsky, by Johann Fischer von Waldheim in 1805.

[1][2] The tasks of the society were considered to be the development of general scientific problems of natural science, the study of the natural resources of Russia, including "the discovery of such works, which could constitute a new branch of Russian trade.

MOIP organized expeditions to explore Altai, the Urals, the Caucasus, Kamchatka and other regions of Russia.

Over time, famous travelers (researchers themselves) began to send the society materials of their observations, descriptions of trips, as well as exhibits for collections (from Java, Alaska, Malaya, Persia, Japan, Asia Minor, Brazil, etc.).

[2] Such cultural institutions as the Polytechnical Museum and Zoological Museum, founded by MOIP member Professor Anatoli Bogdanov, and University Herbarium founded by MOIP member professor ordinarius Veniaminov P.D.