Fyodor Volkov was an actor, director, and founder of the first permanent public Russian theatre. He was born in Kostroma into a merchant family. After his father’s early death, he was raised by his mother and his stepfather, an industrial entrepreneur. At the age of twelve, he was sent to Moscow to study industrial trade, where he mastered the German language and developed an interest in amateur theatrical performances. A trip to St. Petersburg in 1746 and his visit to the court theatre determined his future career. In 1748, after inheriting his stepfather’s factories, Volkov transferred their management to his brother and moved to Yaroslavl to establish a theatre troupe. The first performance took place in 1750 in an old warehouse. With support from local patrons, a wooden theatre building was constructed on the banks of the Volga in 1751. The repertoire included plays by Alexander Sumarokov, Jean Racine, and Voltaire, religious dramas, as well as Volkov’s own comedies and translations. The success of the Yaroslavl troupe reached St. Petersburg, and in 1752, by decree of Empress Elizabeth, the actors were summoned to the capital. In 1756, the Russian Public Theatre was officially established. Volkov became its leading tragic actor and, in 1761, its director. In addition to acting, he directed productions, wrote plays, composed music, and created stage designs himself. He took part in the coup of 1762, supporting the accession of Catherine II. In 1763, he organized the coronation masquerade “The Triumphant Minerva” in Moscow. During the preparations, he fell ill and died on April 4, 1763. The Bakhrushin Theatre Museum collection preserves books and other items related to the life and work of Fyodor Volkov.