The museum was established based on the Pioneer House in 1991 as the local history club "Istoki" and opened in 1995 in the building of the former savings bank. In 1988, it was granted the status of "School Museum," and since 2001 it has been a Municipal City Museum. Since 2007, the museum has been part of the MBUK "Museum and House of Crafts." The museum was founded by Tamara Georgievna Yashneva.

It is the only place in the city and district where one can learn about the history of the native land. The museum features exhibitions: "Peasant Hut," "Nature and Archaeology of the Region," "Merchant's Drawing Room," "Our Fellow Countrymen, Participants of Wars," "History of the City," as well as temporary exhibitions in three halls that are updated every three months.

Regular interactive classes, lectures, excursions, and tourist trips to the villages of the Pokhvistnevo district are held. The museum is engaged in the accounting, storage, and study of historical items and cultural heritage objects.

The museum became a winner of the competition "Changing Museum in a Changing World" with the project "City of Wind." In 2017, it received a city grant for the implementation of the social project "So That We Remember!" The museum also won in the III competition of social projects of PJSC "Lukoil" in the nomination "Ecology" with the project "Open-Air Museum."