The article is devoted to F. N. Glinka’s archaeological and ethnographic interests and research related to his interest in Russian history, his position as an educator, and his desire to be useful to society. The author focuses on Glinka’s local history journey of 1810–1811, his scientific and educational activities as Chairman of the Free society of admirers of Russian literature, folklore and ethnographic studies during the Petrozavodsk exile, archaeological research on the territory of Tver Karelia, and their poetic and scientific interpretation.