At February 11. 1952. the Gallery got a little collection from funds of Region Area Study Museum. A long time the Gallery was mentioned as a special strict collection of graphics and ex-libris. But gradually it used to charge by various modern painters from various places. The first exhibition started at Feb.12 1954. Then at the Gallery wood burnt in stoves and pictures were drew at sled from the railway station.

    At 1988 at the Gallery began worked a permanent exposition of Russian and West-European Art of XVI-XIX centuries. There are pictures by V. Borovikovskiy, I. Aivazovskiy, V. Vereshagin, I. Repin, M. Vrubel.

    Today Gallery's funds are presented such arts as painting, graphic arts, sculpture, decorative art. There are about 28972 subjects of Russian and foreign painters of various times and developments. The best pictures are exposed at Shalamov House. Here at 1989 was disposed a collection of Russian Realistic Art of 1850-1900, where presented such masters as A. Savrasov, V. Polenov, V. Makovskiy, A. Kuindji, I. Levitan.

    At December 25. 2003 a new branch of the Gallery was opened - Korbakov House, where are exposed pictures of this painter presented by him to the city