The Yaroslavl Theater named after Fyodor Volkov, one of the oldest in Russia, was founded in 1750 and named after its founder. It is hard to imagine, but initially its stage was located in a regular barn, where the Volkov brothers and their friends performed. Fyodor Volkov, as the chief director, quickly transformed this endeavor into a professional theater. He managed to find funds for the construction of a full-fledged building and to pay the actors, creating the first public professional theater in Russia. In just two years, Volkov went from amateur productions to nationwide fame.

In 1752, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna invited Fyodor Volkov to the capital, marking the beginning of a new era for him and his troupe. The Yaroslavl theater continued its work under the leadership of Alexei and Gavriil Volkov, but unfortunately, their organizational skills proved insufficient, and in 1756 the theater closed for 126 years. The first theater building was destroyed by fire, and in the following years, theatrical life in Yaroslavl was sustained only by private initiatives.

It was not until 1882 that the city theater was revived in Yaroslavl, which was housed in a new building preserved in photographs. The theater quickly gained fame and was considered one of the best in the country. In 1909, a decision was made to construct a new building designed by architect Nikolai Alexandrovich Spirin. The construction was completed in 1911, and the troupe moved into the new premises, and the theater officially received the name of Fyodor Volkov.

In the early years of Soviet power, a trial against General Perkhurov, a participant in the Yaroslavl uprising, took place in the theater building. The Volkov Theater successfully survived the twentieth century and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2000. Today it continues to operate in its historic building and, despite attempts to merge with another theater, retains its name.