The museum was opened in 1938 in the house where F. E. Dzerzhinsky lived in exile in 1899. Until 1995, it functioned as the F. E. Dzerzhinsky House Museum, and then it was transformed into a museum of the history of the village of Kai. Since January 1, 2006, the museum has been a branch of the district historical museum, and on January 1, 2016, it regained the name F. E. Dzerzhinsky House Museum.

The museum building is wooden and single-story, recognized as a historical monument of regional significance. The museum's exhibition is dedicated to the life and customs of peasants at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The main tours include topics such as: "History of the Kai Region," "F. E. Dzerzhinsky in Vyatka Exile," and "Life and Customs of Peasants at the End of the 19th and the Beginning of the 20th Century." A local history club "Origins" is organized for schoolchildren, and an interest club "Conversationalist" for adults. The museum covers an area of 0.6 hectares, with an exhibition area of 106 square meters. On average, the museum is visited by 1,200 people per year. The museum includes an archive, library, and phonotheque. It is subordinate to the district historical museum. The museum houses 798 items, of which 461 are part of the main collection. Among the most valuable exhibits are collections of woven belts, coins, and samovars.

The museum has published several editions, such as "Museum of the History of the Village of Kai," "Legends of Old Kai," "Crafts of Kai," and "Dialect of the Kai Region."