Academgorodok in Irkutsk, Scientific research district in Irkutsk, Russia.

Academgorodok is a district of Irkutsk's Sverdlovsk administrative okrug, on the left bank of the Angara in the city's south-west. Unlike other Russian academic towns, it lies in the city centre rather than far out, and its main street is practically the only through route between Irkutsk's districts. It holds institutes of the Irkutsk Scientific Centre, the Central Scientific Library, the Baikal Museum and a dendropark.

In February 1949, a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers and a resolution of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences established the East Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences in Irkutsk, initially employing about 200 researchers. In 1957 the branch joined the Siberian Branch of the Academy, and in 1988 it and the Irkutsk association of research institutes received the status of the Irkutsk Scientific Centre.

Many researchers and their families have lived directly in the district, giving it the feel of a self-contained neighborhood rather than a workplace. Walking its paths, you still encounter people who both work and live here, which creates an unusually personal and close-knit community feel.

The district is easy to reach from central Irkutsk by public transport. If you plan to visit specific institutes, it is worth contacting them in advance, as not all buildings are freely accessible without prior arrangement.

Although the district sits in Siberia, it has drawn researchers from across Russia over the decades and stands as one of the few scientific centers in the Asian part of the country. This location makes it an unusual place for academic work, far from the major university cities to the west.