The local history museum is located in a building that previously belonged to merchant Ershov and was built in 1867. The museum features ancient items related to the history and development of Gorbatov. The museum director, A.S. Savinov, has gathered numerous authentic documents and exhibits that tell about the past of this county town.

Two well-known brands that have made Gorbatov famous beyond the Nizhny Novgorod region deserve special attention. The first is the red Gorbatov cow, bred in 1846 at the estate of S.V. Sheremetyev by crossing the Prioksk and Tyrolean breeds. This breed became popular in Western countries due to its high milk fat content of about 6% and resistance to diseases. Although it is now rarely bred, the museum decided to preserve its memory by opening the first cow museum in Russia. Currently, the exhibits are part of the general exhibition of the local history museum, but Anatoly Sergeyevich dreams of registering it as a separate institution.

The second pride of Gorbatov is the cherry. In the early 20th century, there were about 200 cherry orchards in the city, where the 'Gorbatov' and 'Liven' varieties were grown. The Moscow winemaking company Shustov, supplier to the imperial court, annually prepared juices on the banks of the Oka. To this day, in spring, the city is immersed in white blossoms. One of the museum's halls is dedicated to the films of N.S. Mikhalkov. The surroundings of the city appealed to the director so much that he filmed the movies 'Siberian Barber' and 'Burnt by the Sun: Citadel' here. Numerous sets were built near Gorbatov, such as a citadel, a Belarusian village, and a church, and local residents actively participated as extras.