The Gelendzhik Historical and Local Lore Museum was founded in 1909 under the name "Natural Science Museum." Its creation began with the archaeological collections of Professor V.B. Sakhanov, which were initially housed in the watchman's lodge of Mikhail Mikhailovich Reinke.

Today, the museum plays an important role in preserving the material and spiritual culture of the city and resort. Gelendzhik is famous for its unique natural and climatic conditions, as well as the diversity of flora and fauna, which is reflected in its collections. The museum features samples of rocks, insects, birds, animals, and inhabitants of the Black Sea. There are also archaeological collections related to the dolmen culture of the 3rd-2nd millennium BC and antiquity of the 6th-5th centuries BC, when the ancient Greek settlement of Torik was located on the bay's shore, linking the resort to world civilization. The Middle Ages are represented by exhibits of Adyghe culture, while the Caucasian War is commemorated with items recalling events at the Gelendzhik fortification, established in 1831, including a model of the fortification created by artist Alexander Zavaliy. The collection of furniture from the late 19th and early 20th centuries showcases the lifestyle of summer residents of that time.

The museum has branches: Battery No. 394 of Captain A.E. Zubkov on the M-4 "Don" highway between Novorossiysk and Kabardinka, and the House-Museum of V.G. Korolenko in the village of Dzhankhot.