The Vologda Regional Art Gallery was founded in 1952 based on the art department of the Regional Local History Museum and opened on February 12, 1954. It is the only art gallery in the region.

Its collection features works by famous Russian and foreign artists, such as J. Doe, V. M. Vasnetsov, M. V. Nesterov, M. A. Vrubel, A. N. Benois, A. A. Borisov, M. P. Klodt, N. A. Klodt, A. I. Kuindzhi, K. Y. Kryzhitsky, I. K. Aivazovsky, I. I. Levitan, S. Y. Zhukovsky, V. V. Vereshchagin, I. E. Repin, V. D. Polenov, M. Kh. Aladzhakov, and I. P. Bogdanov. The gallery also showcases works by Vologda artists such as D. T. Tutundzhian, V. N. Korbakov, G. I. Popov, Y. U. Kryzhevsky, A. V. Panteleev, S. I. Markin, and others.

The gallery holds a total of 28,982 items, of which 27,894 belong to the main collection.