The Gabdulla Tukay Museum was founded in 1986 in the building of Shamil's house, one of the most beautiful structures in the Old Tatar settlement. In this area of the city, every street holds memories of the poet. Here he worked in the editorial offices of the newspaper "Al-Islah" and the magazine "Yalt-Yolt", and stayed in the hotels "Bulgar" and "Amur". The museum's exhibition features personal belongings of Gabdulla Tukay, photographs taken during his lifetime, published works, as well as newspapers and magazines he collaborated with. The museum also houses his death mask.

The museum is located in a two-story mansion, the former house of Shamil, which is an architectural monument from the late 19th to early 20th century. The building was commissioned by the first guild merchant Ibrahim Apakov, and its architects were Amlong and Rush. Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the era, including household items from the Old Tatar settlement where the museum is located. The cultural life of Kazan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is well represented here. A tour of the museum provides a complete understanding not only of the life and work of Gabdulla Tukay but also of the lives of various layers of Tatar society at the turn of the century, the aspirations and searches of outstanding representatives of the Tatar intelligentsia, and the development of national thought and culture in the early 20th century. The museum also has two exhibition halls for temporary exhibitions and a literary salon. A bookstore operates on the premises. The museum hosts the "Tugan Tel" Club of Tatar Language and Literature Teachers and the amateur club "Dynasty."