Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore is among the oldest ones in the Volga Region. December 12 (24), 1886, is considered to be its foundation date: Saratov Scientific Archive Board was organized then, with a historical-archaeological museum as an associate part. Nowadays, this is a major museum corporation with 10 branches.

    Since 1930, the Museum is hosted in a building that is regarded among the brightest monuments of the XIX century Russian classicism. The museum funds comprise about 400 thousand items: extensive archaeological, ethnographical, paleontological, entomological collections, herbaria, photos, documents, hand-written and early printed books, coins and medals, religious items, posters, materials on the history of political, economical, social and cultural life in Saratov. The museum possesses rare materials on the 1921 famine in the Volga Region and memorial collections have to do with Yu. Gagarin - the world first astronaut, P.A. Stolypin - a Governor of Saratov and one of the most prominent Russian Prime Ministers, N.I. Vavilov - an outstanding researcher in the field of genetics, A.G. Schnittke - a composer, L.A. Kassil - a famous writer, some outstanding actors, scientists, authors. The exhibits are laid out in 30 rooms. New exhibitions are demonstrated annually