The history of museum affairs in Krasnoturinsk began in 1894, when Yevgraf Stepanovich Fedorov and Alexander Andreevich Auerbach founded a geological institution. The museum developed thanks to detailed geological studies of the area conducted in 1894 and 1899 under the guidance of Fedorov and Nikitin.

It was the first geological museum in Russia with a practical purpose, focusing on materials related to the geological structure of the Bogoslovsky mining district. Here, samples of rocks and minerals, cartographic materials, and research results were stored. In 1898, at the initiative of the Perm Governor D. G. Arsenyev, the museum became accessible to visitors.

In 1899, the museum was named the 'Fedorovsky Geological Museum.' It retained its practical significance for almost forty years after the departure of Fedorov and Nikitin. For twenty years, the museum was managed by E. D. Stratanovich, who was involved in the exploration of coal, iron, gold, and copper deposits.

In the 1920s and 1930s, the collected materials contributed to the restoration of copper ore extraction and the discovery of refractory deposits. In 1931, geologist N. A. Karzhavin discovered the bauxite deposit 'Red Riding Hood,' which was an important event for the region.

In the 1950s, the residents of Krasnoturinsk decided to commemorate Alexander Stepanovich Popov. In 1952, a decision was made to open the Popov Museum in his family home. In 1957, the first exhibition of the museum was opened, which received the status of the Memorial Museum of A. S. Popov.

In 1977, the Bogoslovsky Aluminum Plant built a building for the museum's historical exhibition. In 1980, the Popov family's house was moved closer to the main building, and in 1982, a passage to it was constructed. By the 125th anniversary of Popov's birth, an interesting memorial museum was created.

In 1978, the house where Anatoly Konstantinovich Serov was born was transferred to the museum. In 1980, the Memorial Museum of Serov was opened, but it was closed in 2000, and the exhibition was moved to the historical department of the local history museum.

The main exhibition of the museum is the historical exhibition, opened in 1988. It covers the entire history of the region's development and pays attention to the multinational composition of the local population. A special place is held by Alexander Petrovich Karpinsky, the 'father of Russian geology.'

The museum also has a department called 'Open Storage of Collections,' where collections of household items from the 19th and 20th centuries are presented. The museum staff continues to work on its development and the preservation of Krasnoturinsk's cultural heritage.