In the early 20 ^thcentury the creation of a specialized archaeological museum was actively discussed in Russia. A number of communications in professional forums of museum workers were devoted to this problem. It was also discussed at the First All- Russian Museums' Conference in Petrograd in February 1919. A special report on this subject was held by archeologist A. A. Miller, who had experience of museum work and showed himself in the revolutionary era as an organizer of museum activity. Prominent scholars such as S. A. Zhebelyov, N. Ya. Marr and others took part in the discussion of his report. In this article the authors analyze the materials of the transcript of this discussion for the first time and place it in the context of the development of Russian archaeological/ museum thought of the early 20 ^thcentury.