На основании архивных материалов, «Трудов Первого сибирского метеорологического съезда в г. Иркутске», «Трудов съезда по организации Института исследования Сибири», а также периодической печати рассматриваются подготовка и проведение съезда по организации Института исследования Сибири, призванного координировать усилия сибирских исследователей, направленные на изучение обширного региона на востоке страны.

In the article, the history of the Congress on the foundation of the Research Institute of Siberia in Tomsk is being retraced on the basis of archival materials, documentary publications and periodicals. The idea of creating a single research organization linking and coordinating the work in the study of Siberia was first expressed at the First Siberian Regional Meteorological Congress, held in late October 1917 in Irkutsk, in the report by B.P. Weinberg, Professor at Tomsk Institute of Technology. However, by a number of reasons, the meeting of the Congress on the foundation of the institute was postponed till January 1919. Around 240 people from various cities of Siberia and European Russia registered for the meeting. The Congress was attended by representatives of 10 ministries and a number of other organizations studying Siberia. During the Congress 14 general meetings with 14 reports was held. They raised issues relating directly to the organization of both the Research Institute of Siberia and its various institutions. In addition, the work of nine sections was organized: geodesy and geophysics, chemistry and chemical, mineral springs, geology and mining, botany and soil science, zoology, agriculture, animal husbandry and forest science, history, archeology and ethnography, statistics and economics. Across all sections a total of 46 meetings were held, of which three were joint. In general, the atmosphere reigning at the Congress was permeated by the spirit of scientific research. A report without a heated discussion was a rare exception. Particularly acute controversy arose at general meetings during the discussion of what the future of the Research Institute of Siberia would be. Thus, as a result of the Congress the basic documents of the Institute were developed and approved: the regulation draft, the charter, the work plan, approximate estimates, etc. "The purpose of the Institute is the systematic scientific and practical study of the nature and the population of Siberia for more rational use of natural resources of the region, and for social and economic development", was noted in the Regulations. The Institute was managed by the Council of the Institute, the Conference of the Institute and the Congress of the Institute. The Research Institute consisted of full members, honorary members, researchers and journalists. V. Sapozhnikov, Professor of Tomsk State University, was elected by the majority of votes to be the future director of the Institute. It was assumed that the Research Institute of Siberia would be legally equivalent to the Academy of Sciences and would be managed by the Council of Ministers of Kolchak's "Russian government". Prior to the official approval by Supreme Ruler and Commander-in-Chief Kolchak on July 28, 1919 and its coming into force after the publication in Pravitelstvenny Vestnik on October 25, the institution existed in the form of a public organization "Society of the Research Institute of Siberia", which was entrusted with the "enforcement of the Regulations of the Research Institute of Siberia".