The Memorial Room of Academician Georgii K. Boreskov, the founder and first director of the Institute of Catalysis, was opened in June 1987, on the occasion of his 80th anniversary. Georgii Konstantinovich always emphasized that the foundation of the Institute was the most important cause of his life. In 1991, the Institute of Catalysis was named after Georgii K. Boreskov.
There is a small exhibition based on the documents, awards, books, personal belongings in one of rooms of the Laboratory of Oxidation, which was headed by Georgii Konstantinovich.
A series of photos dated 1930’s through 1960’s tell about an extremely intense and fruitful activity of G.K. Boreskov in the fields of research and science management. He headed the Laboratory of Catalysis at the Chemicoradiological Institute (Odessa) in 1932 through 1937 (there is a laboratory registry dated 1931 with records by Georgii Konstantinovich concerning the preparation and characterization of vanadium catalysts); the Laboratory of Catalysis at the Research Institute for Fertilizers and Insecto-Fungicides (Moscow) in 1937 through 1946, the Laboratory of Technological Catalysis at the Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry (Moscow). In 1958 he became the Director of the Institute of Catalysis (Novosibirsk).
Georgii Boreskov was awarded the Badge of Honor, three Lenin Orders, Order of the Red Banner of Labor, Golden Medal of Hammer and Sickle for his contribution to the Russian science, distinguished scientific, educational, managing and social activities, his great role in establishing the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He was twice USSR State Prize winner, Ukrainian SSR State Prize winner, he was awarded the title of a Hero of Socialist Labor. Among the others, these awards are exhibited in the Museum.
Boreskov’s activity in the area of catalysis was recognized worldwide. He was a foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences of German Democratic Republic, honorary member of the New York Academy of Sciences, Doctor HONORIS CAUSA of the Wroclaw Polytechnic Institute (Poland) and of the Poitiers University (France). Government of Bulgarian Republic awarded the Order of Kirill and Mephodium to G.K. Boreskov. Visitors can see an unusual exposition displaying the full attributes of ceremonies of awarding the HONORIS CAUSA titles to Georgii Boreskov in Wroclaw in 1976 and in Poitiers in 1981, these are black mantles and caps, an ermine scarf and leather tubules for storing the Diplomas.
Of particular interest among the exhibits is the personal book collection of Georgii Konstantinovich including more than 1000 scientific volumes and 15 sets of Russian and foreign scientific journals. There are especially memorable copies with dedicatory inscriptions by the authors and the rarities published in the end of XIX and beginning of XX century in the collection. The books capable of telling about Boreskov’s educatory activity are displayed in one of the showcases, these are course descriptions and lecture summaries, books used for preparing the lectures, and the like.
There is his writing table, case, bureau and an old push-button typewriter.
Albums, arranged by the colleagues and friends in different periods of time and presented by foreign colleagues, tell about numerous scientific events, where Boreskov presented lectures, about his keenness to winter fishing and to summer “mushroom hunting”, as well as about many other interesting events.
We see the same Georgii Konstantinovich in the portraits and photos, as he was – an intellectual and charming individual.