Astrakhan State United Historical and Architectural Museum is one of the oldest provincial museums in the country. "Provincial Museum" was opened on the initiative of the governor of Ivan S. Timiryazev December 12, 1837 (old style). In the 60 years of the nineteenth century, due to lack of funds for the maintenance of the museum's exhibits was deposited in other institutions. A new upsurge of museum began in the 70s of the nineteenth century and was associated with the creation and activities of the society of researchers Petrovsky Astrakhan region. Enthusiasts, historians have revived a museum, filled up his collection. In 1911, the museum housed in a newly constructed building of urban institutions (regional administration building), in which the left wing, and today is National History Museum.

    For many decades, Astrakhan Museum of local history has been the focus of research, scientific and educational work. Today he is a Museum Association, which includes 14 branches, four of which are located in the city of Astrakhan. This local history museum, the Museum of City History, the Museum of Military Glory, museum complexes Astrakhan Kremlin and Culture Museum of Astrakhan. 9 branches of the Astrakhan museum are located in areas of the region.

    Unit-linked collection of museum includes more than 300,000 items and is characterized by great diversity. This is a unique natural-scientific, archaeological, ethnographic, numismatic collection and many others. The management, personnel department, economic department of the museum association located in the museum. It also contains all the major book depository museum, department funds, research library, taxidermy laboratory.

    In Astrakhan museum-reserve service and working museum sector, serving all branches of the museum association. April 17, 2012 the grand opening of major exhibitions of local lore museum after reconstruction. Open and operate the following halls of the museum: "Fish richness of the Volga-Caspian Basin" , "living history of the Earth", "Astrakhan Governor", "Gold of Nomads" , "History and culture of the peoples of the Astrakhan Region", "Nature of Volga delta", "Gun Room" and others