The article identifies and describes the main groups of sources that cover the formation and development of the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of the Middle Dnieper in the 60-80’s of the twentieth century. It was found that the source base of the outlined topic is quite representative, the number and variety of existing sources is sufficient for an objective and comprehensive study of the topic. It is based on a set of materials that are diverse in nature, origin, species, form and content, which can be divided into two groups: unpublished documents and published materials. The scientific potential of different groups of sources is determined. Materials of public and private archives have high value and significant potential in studying the topic. Newspaper periodical expands the idea of the history of the formation of the open-air museum. Online resources are also useful when studying the topic. A separate group of documents consists of office documents of the museum (books of orders, minutes of meetings of the Academic, scientific and methodical council, fund-purchasing commission, acts of purchase of museum objects, acts of inspection of monuments). Photos, maps and plans of the museum, technical drawings of monuments occupy an important place among the pictorial sources. Monuments of folk architecture and museum objects are a meaningful group of sources for studying the chosen topic. It is noted that each of the groups of sources has its own characteristics, different degrees of completeness, reliability, objectivity of information, requires unique methods and techniques of source criticism, scientific knowledge. It is emphasized that the study of the history of formation and development of the Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of the Middle Dnieper requires a comprehensive approach, only the joint use of different groups of sources, detailed and critical consideration can provide objective and comprehensive coverage of the history of the first national open-air museum. An attempt is made to supplement the source base of the problem with newly discovered archival documents and published research

scansen; Pereyasla; formation; document; source