Abstract. The author considers a number of definitions of cultural research or culturology and analyses a place of this academic discipline within the knowledge system, its objectives, subject, and methodology. Reviewing a variety of approaches in cultural research the author does not insist on the exclusive rightness of the only one but attempts rather to relate and reconcile them.

Key words: culture, culturology, masterpieces of culture, cultural anthropology, cultural primatology, anthropological approach, semiotic approach, cosmic planetary approach, synthetic theory of evolution, synthetic culturology