This article analyzes the relations between the State Hermitage Museum and Sergei
Aleksandrovich Zhebelev, one of the most important ancient historians working in
Russia in the first half of the twentieth century. Based on previously unpublished
archival sources in Moscow and St. Petersburg, the article enlarges our knowledge
of Zhebelev’s biography and scholarly activity, describes his position on preserving
Russia’s cultural heritage, and sheds new light on the history of the Hermitage – in
particular, on its evolving structure as a research institution.