The Yekaterinburg Museum of Fine Arts has long been recognized as the largest treasure trove of the Urals. It houses unique exhibits created by masters from this harsh region, as well as masterpieces from all over Russia. The museum's collection is so extensive that it includes four museums and more than fifteen collections.

The main building of the museum is located at Voevodina Street, 5. It is one of the oldest buildings in Yekaterinburg, situated on the Iset River, a tributary of the Tobol. Built in 1751 for the local factory hospital, the building has become an important part of the city's history. The project was developed at the behest of Johann Christophorovich Shneze, who organized medical care in the Urals. The construction was overseen by stonemason Gordey Nechkin. Initially, the building consisted of four sections housing a hospital, a mint, a pharmacy, and a laboratory.

In 1764, the hospital was deemed unsuitable for treatment due to dampness and high heating costs. After that, the building was used as a factory, school, almshouse, and prison. Over time, it was rebuilt, replacing stone walls with brick ones. In 1843, a significant event took place here: actor Pyotr Alexeyevich Sokolov brought in professional artists who performed a comedy and melodrama, prompting the city to establish its first theater.

In the mid-1900s, the former hospital housed a technical school, a college, and a bank. In the 1970s, the building became a museum, with a project developed by architects Gennady Belyankin and Anatoly Ptashnik. The museum opened in 1986, with its main attraction being the collection of Kaslin artistic casting, including a unique cast-iron pavilion.

Another museum venue is located at Vaynera Street, 11. The building was constructed in the early 1900s according to the design of architect Konstantin Babikin. In the 1920s, it housed a printing house, and later the building became part of the Sverdlovsk Art Gallery. During the war years, the gallery hosted canvases from the Hermitage, and later it was enriched with paintings from the Tretyakov Gallery and other museums.

In 1988, the gallery was renamed the Museum of Fine Arts. In 2021, it became the Cultural and Educational Center 'Hermitage-Ural', where exhibitions of Western European art and temporary exhibits from the Hermitage are held.

The third museum building is located at Rosa Luxemburg Street, 18. Built in 1884, it became home to a collection of naive art donated to the museum by Yevgeny Roizman. This building showcases works by self-taught artists.

At Pushkin Street, 5, there is the A.K. Denisov-Ural Stone Cutting History Center. Here, unique Ural minerals and works by stone cutters are exhibited. Works by Alexey Denisov-Ural, a rival of Fabergé, are also presented. The center conducts workshops on stone processing for adults and children.