The Marx Local Lore Museum is a unique institution that houses hundreds of items, as well as written, graphic, and photographic documents related to the lives of thousands of colonists in the former Saratov province. Of particular interest are the carpentry, joinery, and blacksmithing tools of the 'Volga Germans', a collection of ethnographic artifacts, woven products, as well as local embroidery and fabrics. The museum was founded in 1987 as a public museum of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. In April 1991, it received the status of the Marx Local Lore Museum and became a branch of the Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore. The museum is located in a separate two-story brick mansion built in the early 20th century, which housed the first national state museum of the Republic of the Volga Germans since 1919. The museum's collection includes over 6,000 exhibits.

The history of the city of Marx, starting from its first name, Yekaterinenshtadt, is presented in several halls of the old house. This is a unique narrative about the lives of German colonists who settled the Volga lands since the 18th century. The collection of ethnographic items, comprising over 1,100 exhibits, allows for a detailed study of the occupations, crafts, and various aspects of life in Yekaterinenshtadt. Some exhibits are dedicated to the dramatic history of the deportation of Volga Germans and the events of World War II from 1941 to 1945. The museum also features a permanent exhibition titled 'Flora and Fauna of the Marx District'. The exhibition hall hosts thematic and artistic exhibitions, as well as works by amateur authors.

According to Catherine II's manifesto from 1762, foreigners were allowed to settle in any Russian province of their choice. Immigrants were granted various privileges, including tax exemptions for many years. Between 1763 and 1766, about 30,000 people arrived in Russia, half of whom settled in the Saratov region. Most of them were from German states. By 1773, there were over a hundred colonies in the region, forming a German community with its own customs and traditions.

The goal of the Russian government was to develop agriculture in sparsely populated areas with fertile lands. The Germans brought with them plows, scythes, threshers, and other tools that had not been used in Russia before. With their arrival, lands began to be sown with flax, hemp, tobacco, and other crops. At this time, potatoes, also brought from Germany, became a popular vegetable. By the end of the 19th century, wheat production reached significant volumes.

Industry also began to develop, primarily mills and bakeries, followed by workshops for producing agricultural tools, factories for producing woolen fabrics, and coarse fibers. In 1917, the new government of Soviet Russia established the Autonomous Republic of the Volga Germans, which existed until 1941. During World War II, most Germans were deported to Kazakhstan and Siberia. This and much more can be learned during a tour of the Local Lore Museum of the city of Marx.

The museum preserves numerous exhibits demonstrating the everyday life of Volga Germans. Tools, housing furnishings, household items, all bear the imprint of another culture. It is easy to notice that the furniture and musical instruments presented in the museum were created not by Russian craftsmen, but by meticulous Germans. These exhibits can be seen in the permanent exhibition 'History of Yekaterinenshtadt, Baronsk, Yekatenoigrad, Markshtadt, Marx'.

Visitors are particularly interested in the collection of coins from the time of Anna Ioannovna and payment notes from that period. One of the halls is dedicated to the war years and the history of the deportation of Germans to other republics of the Soviet Union. The natural history department features stuffed specimens of roe deer, ground squirrels, beavers, wild boars, various birds, and beetles, as well as the characteristics of the nature of the Volga region.