The public museum was established in 1998 by the initiative of Mr. V. Volontchoonas, the Mayor of the town of that period.

    For the visitors the museum opened its doors on May 25, 1999, just on the Day of the Town.

    The introduction of the museum has to be started with the history of the building the museum is housed in.

    The building was erected in the 90s of the XIX century, at the private expense of V. Ya. Kouznetsov, the Hereditary Honored Townsman, the First Guild merchant.

    He ran successfully the sugar and the tea trade, made great fortune, the considerable part of that he left to his nephew Vasily Kouznetsov, who had founded the first steam confectionery plant, known under the "G. Belfor" name subsequently.

    The contemporary "Yaroslavkonditer" made its foundation upon the former one and is closely connected with the Kouznetsovs family.

    The interior of the house still preserves the atmosphere of the old merchant mansion with the wide flight of stairs, suite of rooms, and the main hall decorated with the stucco molding. It serves the wonderful background for the main display of the thousand period history of Yaroslavl. The subject and ideology of the display is elaborated under the general concept of the museum - "The place of Yaroslavl in the history of Russia - the place of the separate person in the history of the native town".

    The scale models of Yaroslavl, and of its remarkable temples create the appearance of the ancient town.

    The visitors have chance to observe the pieces of the archeological excavations, the ancient icons of the Yaroslavl Miracle-Workers (the Yaroslavl Princes), the armament of XIII-XVIII, the coins and the other original pieces. The pictures of XIX-XX brought through the centuries the images of the outstanding political persons, local merchants, and priesthood, the public and culture figures, as well as the wonderful views of old Yaroslavl - the center of the Province, one of the most beautiful towns of the Volga region.

    The New history of the town is given the rapt attention to. "The outstanding people of Yaroslavl", "The international relations of Yaroslavl", "Yaroslavl as seen by the Artist" subject rooms are called to the attention of the visitors.

    The year of 2002 is remarkable for the opening of the new exposition - "The development of the public health service in Yaroslavl". Three rooms are given for the display to open up the problems of the main periods of medical knowledge foundation in Yaroslavl in the course of several centuries.

    The visitor may meet the corner of the wise man house, the study of the XIX-XX century healer, the doctor's tools, the anatomy samples, the pictures and the documents of the health service establishments, and of the persons' activity, of those who had brought a lot to the development of the health service in Yaroslavl