Abstract: This article is dedicated to the history of the Soviet popular science cinematography on the example of the Leningrad film studio “Lentekhfilm” / “Lennauchfilm"” during the late 1940s – 1960s.The goal of this work consists in tracing the development and production stages of popular science films at the Leningrad film studio “Lennauchfilm”.  The author sets the following tasks: follow the work of the film studio “Lennauchfilm” based on the archival materials, as well as determine the main plotlines of popular science films of the period under review. The article employs archival documents stored in the fund No. 243 of the St. Petersburg Central State Archive of Literature and Art. Namely, based on the materials of the annual financial and production reports of the film studio, using the quantitative methods, the author carries out the sampling of films that were classified as popular science. The author also applies the problem-chronological method for studying the stages of operation of the film studio. The novelty of this research consists in determination of production volumes of popular science films at a particular film studio, as well as their main themes. As a result, the author highlights six main plotlines: natural sciences, geography of the country, industry and agriculture, education of children and adolescents, history of culture and art, historical-revolutionary. The conclusion is made that the Soviet popular science cinematography was aimed not only at popularization of scientific knowledge (as follows from the definition of the term “popular science film” given in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia), but also performed the important political and civic functions on youth education, distribution of technical knowledge, as well as illustration of the achievements of the Soviet Union in economic and social policy.