The Radishchev Museum, which became the only publicly accessible museum in the Russian Empire in 1885, was founded thanks to the artworks that artist A. P. Bogolyubov donated to the city. Bogolyubov was the grandson of the famous writer and philosopher Alexander Nikolayevich Radishchev.

At the beginning of its existence, the Saratov Radishchev Art Museum was an art and industrial type museum. Here, alongside paintings and other works of art, industrial products and samples of handicrafts were exhibited. The museum's collection served as a training base for students of the local art school. During World War I, charitable exhibitions were held in the museum to support wounded soldiers. Between the Revolution and World War II, exhibitions mainly featured Saratov artists. In the second half of the 20th century, the museum hosted exhibitions not only of Soviet and Russian artists but also of foreign masters such as Rembrandt and da Vinci, as well as folk craftsmen from various countries.

Every month, new temporary exhibitions on diverse themes, from painting to religion in art, open at the museum. Exhibitions dedicated to a single object, showcasing an ancient exhibit with an interesting history or characteristic of its time, are of particular interest. These exhibitions are best visited with a guide. The Radishchev Museum collaborates on exhibition projects with major museums such as the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum, and the Hermitage. The museum regularly showcases masterpieces from its own collection and also conducts lectures on art, history, and museum studies.