The main administrative building of the Novgorod province from the 18th and 19th centuries was designed by provincial architect V.S. Polivanov. This building housed the district treasury, criminal and civil courts, the state chamber, the Public Charity Office, the provincial drawing office, and other institutions. The basements contained wine cellars and shops.

Today, this building, typical of the classical era, serves as a venue for the museum's main exhibitions. It houses the largest collection of ancient Russian icons in the world, works by ancient masters and woodcarvers, as well as archaeological finds that tell the history of the Novgorod land.