Introduction. Popular science tourism is one of the relatively young but dynamically developing types of tourism in the Russian Federation. Since it uses tourist resources that are relatively not covered by other types of routes, it can be recognized that it corresponds to the goals of the “Strategy for the Development of Tourism in the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2035” [1], in particular, the integrated development of domestic and inbound tourism, strengthening the social role of tourism.

The origins of popular science tourism in Russia can be traced back to the 1980s. However, as an independent direction with federal support, it began to take shape only within the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology (2022–2031). In 2022, the first tourist programs appeared, including visits to laboratories, universities and research centers, and by the end of 2025, 93 routes had already been opened throughout the country in 32 regions.

The Rostov region was one of the first among the agrarian subjects of the South of Russia to join this initiative. In October 2025, “Small Cossack Circle” program was launched here, the only officially launched popular science route in the region. It was developed by scientists of the Don State Technical University together with the tour operator “Sudakov Travel” [2].

The route combines a demonstration of modern agro-industrial developments (laboratories “Winemaking and fermentation industry”, “Technological line of provender milling” and industrial aquaculture of DSTU) with immersion in the traditional culture of the Don Cossacks (study of dialect, life, history). Thus, for the first time in practice, it implements a model that combines the popular science component and the cultural and historical aspect of the region’s areas, including rural ones.

Before the launch of “Small Cossack Circle”, elements of popular science activities, including rural areas of the Rostov Region, existed only in the form of scattered local history museums, archaeological sites (mounds, hillforts) and individual excursions that were not combined into a single popular science program. For example, in 2023, at a round table at SFU, the need to develop children’s popular science tours was discussed, but then no real route was created. It was possible to arrange the first full-fledged product only in 2025.

Thus, the formation of popular science tourism in rural areas of the Rostov region is at the initial stage. The study presented in this article is based on potential objects identified in 2025–2026 and offers the first promising routes that can complement the existing infrastructure and expand the network of popular science programs in the region.

The organization of popular science tours not only involves relatively new objects for tourism in the routes but also attracts additional segments of tourists, in particular, schoolchildren and students, in which its social role is manifested. At the same time, the integration of the route of scientific objects and popular tourist destinations makes it possible to form complex routes focused on interdisciplinarity and diversity of tourist activities.

At the same time, it should be recognized that the resource potential of the studied type of tourism has not been sufficiently studied in all regions. Existing popular science routes mainly include the territories of universities and research facilities, not always fully covering such destinations as museums, archaeological excavations and other locations in rural areas. Nevertheless, this direction seems promising both for scientific research and for practical implementation in tourism.

The Rostov region, being a traditional agrarian region, has a significant share of rural areas. It seems that in most of these territories it is possible to identify potential tourist resources for inclusion in popular science routes.

Materials and Methods. The authors rely on theoretical research by Russian and foreign scientists. The first group of works is devoted to theoretical and methodological aspects of popular science tourism: A.V. Afanasyeva, E.V. Logvin, T.T. Hristov [3]. I.S. Shershova and A.Ya. Tamakhina consider popular science tourism as a type of scientific tourism [4]. The significant contribution to the study of popular science tourism was made by V.V. Verna, S.S. Skaranik, A.V. Soroka [5], A.V. Frygin and I.Yu. Fedorova [6]. From the standpoint of the educational component, we highlight the works of E.P. Ananicheva and a contributing author [7], A.V. Khanina [8]. The second group of studies is regional studies of the popular science tourism development: I.Yu. Ponomareva and V.Yu. Savinov [9], R.I. Loktev and a contributing author [10], E.S. Malykh, A.I. Smetanina [11], Y.S. Testina, N.Yu. Belyakova, A.M. Vorotnikov [12], research by E.G. Kropinova and a contributing author [13], D.Yu. Shishkina [14].

Methodological basis of this study is the following: a resource method by which objects were identified that could potentially be used in popular science routes; a method of system analysis, which made it possible to compare the resources of popular science tourism in certain areas of the Rostov region; a spatial method involved in matching the localization of core resources; a forecast method by which promising routes of popular science tourism were determined.

Results. The Rostov region is traditionally an agrarian region, which is a consequence of natural conditions: climate features, seasonal distributions of temperature and humidity, soil cover and others. In particular, the ploughness of the region’s territory is 64.7% [13], which is a rather high indicator. Accordingly, rural areas on the scale of the region are predominant, which actualizes the issue of developing the main spheres of life in them, which can include tourism.

Traditionally, the types of tourism common in rural areas include agritourism, ethnographic, gastronomic, environmental. Nevertheless, in order to implement the “Strategy for the development of tourism in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2035”, it seems rational to pay additional attention to the types of tourism previously actively unorganized in certain regions. Such types of tourism, in particular, include popular science one.

The objects of popular science routes are locations in one way or another related to scientific activities: universities, research institutes, laboratories and others. At the same time, visits to such objects are complemented by an interactive program, including master classes, demonstration of experiments, introduction to scientific activities. Such routes are informative, educational, instructional and career-oriented in nature, which determines the specifics of this type of tourism. The development of popular science tourism in our country is determined by the Concept for the development of popular science tourism in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2035 [14].

It is assumed that in rural areas it is possible to use popular science routes, museums, farms, archaeological excavations and other objects. Integrating into the development of the economy of such areas, popular science routes can become a regional “growth point”.

For analysis, the article selected areas located in the west of the region, in particular, Kamensky, Belokalitvensky, Tarasovsky, Millerovsky, Chertkovsky, Verkhnedonskoy, Sholokhovsky. The choice of these areas was due, among other things, to their geographical location, in particular, being near the Federal Highway M-4 “Don”, which provides favorable opportunities for the inflow of potential tourists.

Potential objects of popular science tourism identified in the Kamensky district are mainly of a local history and educational nature. For example, the Kamensky Museum of Local Lore, dedicated to the culture of the Don Cossacks, to the history and culture of the city, as well as the People’s Museum of Local History in the village of Gundorovskaya, which is aimed at preserving the memory of the history of the village and the events of the Great Patriotic War. In addition to cultural and historical objects there are natural heritage sites and archeological monuments: mounds and hillforts that preserve the ancient history of the district.

In the Belokalitvensky district there are significant cultural, historical and natural objects. In particular, the Belokalitvinsky Museum of History and Local Lore named after M.A. Sholokhov, which is dedicated to the work and life of the great Don writer, as well as the history of the Cossacks on the Don, an art gallery in Belaya Kalitva, which presents works by local artists and masters of decorative art, as well as White Rock and numerous caves in the district.

Analyzing potential objects of popular science tourism in the Tarasovsky district, the following tourist sites can be distinguished: the Tarasovsky Museum of History and Local Lore (Tarasovsky settlement), which is dedicated to the events of the Great Patriotic War, as well as the life of villagers and Don Cossacks. The Museum of Military Glory named after Hero of the Soviet Union of V.A. Khalzunov (Tarasovsky, in the school building), this exposition is dedicated to the feat of a native of the Tarasovsky district, Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Alexandrovich Khalzunov. There are archeological monuments such as burial mounds testifying to the ancient world of the district.

Speaking about the Millerovsky district, we can note the following cultural and educational tourist sites: the Millerovsky District Museum of Local Lore (Millerovo), which is dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, famous fellow countrymen and the development of agriculture. The Memorial House-Museum of the Hero of the Soviet Union of A.M. Likholetov (Verkhnetalovka), dedicated to the life and feat of the Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Mikhailovich Likholetov, as well as the Museum of the History of the Cossacks (Malchevskaya). It should be noted the presence of mounds, the Kalitva River, Lake Bolshoy and Lake Lebyazhye.

The Sholokhovsky district is rich in historical and cultural objects, which are also necessary for the development of popular science tourism in the region. In particular, on the territory of the district there is the State M.A. Sholokhov Museum-Reserve (Veshenskaya), Memorial and historical complex “Kruzhilinsky”, a courtyard recreating the life of a Cossack family (Table 1).

Table 1

Potential objects of popular science tourism in the studied districts of the Rostov region

In the Verkhnedonsky district there is the Museum of History and Culture of the Verkhnedonsky district (Kazanskaya), the expositions of which are devoted to the history, customs and traditions of the Don region, archeological monuments (mounds), the natural monument “Island Forest” (neighborhood of Kazanskaya), a unique forest located on an island in the middle of the river Don.

Discussion and Conclusion. Popular science tourism is a type of tourism based on the acquaintance of tourists with scientific objects: museums, laboratories, research centers. The above districts of the Rostov region have significant potential for the development of popular science tourism; they have a considerable number of important and necessary tourist resources. However, there are certain factors that interfere with the full development of popular science tourism in the listed districts of the southern region: a low level of infrastructure (guesthouses, hotels), equipment for tourists to visit, transport accessibility of dedicated facilities, and so on. The number of guesthouses in these districts is presented in Table 2.

Table 2

Number of accommodation facilities in the studied districts of the Rostov region

Table 2 shows that there are 37 accommodation facilities in the Kamensky district, 7 in Belokalitvensky, 8 in Tarasovsky, 17 in Millerovsky, 13 in Chertkovsky, 3 in Verkhnedonskoy, 18 in Sholokhovsky. The analysis of the number of guesthouses in these areas revealed a noticeable imbalance in the number of accommodation facilities and, therefore, an imbalance in the ability to receive large groups of tourists. In particular, the Kamensky district, which has the largest number of guesthouses and the greatest opportunities. At the same time, some areas (Verkhnedonskoy, Tarasovsky, Belokalitvinsky) have a small number of guesthouses and have lower infrastructure potential for the implementation of popular science routes.

The transport factor can also be distinguished. Despite the fact that the studied areas are located along the federal highway of M-4 “Don”, connecting the central part of Russia and its south, individual objects of popular science are located far from places of concentration of traffic flows. For example, some settlements located in the west of the Chertkovsky district are far from the main highway, despite the fact that these settlements contain objects significant for tourism. The Verkhnedonskoy and Sholokhovsky districts are also located far from M-4 “Don”, which makes it difficult to create popular science routes in these regions.

In addition, the information factor restrains the development of popular science tourism in the studied areas. Most of the local objects of popular science tourism almost do not position themselves in this status and do not implement excursion programs, master classes, newsworthy events.

Consequently, it seems rational to form popular science routes in the studied areas in territories largely provided with the appropriate tourist infrastructure. It can also be considered optimal to lay one route through the territory of several neighboring regions to increase the concentration of potential scientific objects in their content. As a result, we have offered 3 potential popular science routes.

1. Popular science route “Kamensky meridian: from history to nature” in the Kamensky district. The offered route project is the following:

– The Kamensky Museum of Local Lore (Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, in fact, it is located on the territory administratively subordinate to the city);

– The People’s Museum of History and Local Lore in the village of Gundorovskaya;

– Archeological monuments: mounds and hillforts;

– The Kamensky Museum of Decorative and Folk Art;

– Natural heritage sites: Picturesque banks of the Seversky Donets River, steppe landscapes.

2. Popular science route “Belokalitvinsky Heritage: Museums, Rocks and Underground Worlds” in the Belokalitvinsky district. The offered route project is the following:

– The Belokalitvinsky Museum of History and Local Lore named after M.A. Sholokhov (Belaya Kalitva);

– White Rock (neighborhood of Belaya Kalitva): a rock located on the banks of the Kalitva River, made of limestone;

– Caves (neighborhood of Belaya Kalitva): there is a complex of caves, in particular, the “Skelya” cave;

– The river Seversky Donets and its banks;

– The Art Gallery in Belaya Kalitva: presents works by local artists and masters of arts and crafts.

3. Popular science route “Don Crossroads: Millerovo, Chertkovo, Verkhnedonye — a journey through time”. The offered route project is the following:

– The Millerovsky Museum of Local Lore (Millerovo);

– The Museum of History of the Cossacks (Malchevskaya);

– The Chertkovsky Museum of Local Lore (Chertkovo);

– The Nature Reserve “Chertkovsky sands”;

– The Museum of History and Culture of the Verkhnedonskoy District (Kazanskaya);

– Branches of the State M.A. Sholokhov Museum-Reserve;

– Archeological monuments: ancient mounds (Verkhnedonskoy district);

– The Natural Monument “Island Forest” (neighborhood of Kazanskaya).

It is assumed that the allocated routes can contribute to the development of rural areas of the Rostov region. Popular science routes, if implemented, can not only become a “catalyst” for the development of tourism in the studied areas but also lead to the development of the local economy through a multiplier effect.

The presented study can become a pioneer in terms of the problem of organizing popular science routes in rural areas and in the future can be transferred to other areas of the Rostov region and constituent entities of the Russian Federation.