The Museum of the History of Sviyazhsk is part of the State Historical, Architectural, and Art Museum-Reserve "Island Town Sviyazhsk." This unique island town is located on a natural elevation between the Sekirka and Volga rivers.

Sviyazhsk has preserved numerous monuments of history, ancient Russian architecture, and Orthodox culture. The state protects 37 cultural heritage sites here, of which 19 are of federal significance and 18 are of republican significance. Among them is the Museum of the History of Sviyazhsk, located in a complex of former prisons built in 1838 and 1840. In 2010, comprehensive restoration work was carried out here by the TAIF group of companies.

The museum features exhibitions "Pages of the History of Sviyazhsk" and "Ancient City of Sviyazhsk." Visitors can see a unique model that meticulously reconstructs the layout of the fortified town in the mid-16th century. It houses archaeological finds, rare documents, and archival photographs that tell the story of the city from its founding to the early 20th century.

In the second building, there is an exhibition "Sviyazhsk in the 20th Century," dedicated to events of the Soviet period. It covers the difficult trials for the city, starting from the October Revolution and the Civil War to its transformation into an island. The exhibition also discusses the large-scale restoration of Sviyazhsk's monuments carried out by the Republican Foundation "Revival" under the leadership of the first president of Tatarstan, Mintimer Shaimiev.

The third building of the museum is dedicated to the exhibition "Sviyazhsk Prisons," which tells about Russian judicial proceedings and law enforcement from the 16th to the 20th century. Visitors can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of prison life, and part of the exhibition is dedicated to the prisoners of Sviyazhsk during the Stalinist repressions.

The fourth building of the museum is intended for temporary exhibitions. Here, you can visit the exhibition "Charmed by the Island," featuring paintings dedicated to Sviyazhsk by artists such as Evgeny Golubtsov, Rashit Safiullin, and Valery Artamonov.

The exhibition "How Along the Mother Volga" tells about the history of the river passenger fleet of the great river. Guests will see 15 detailed models of ships provided by the Volga Academy of Water Transport. The exhibition also features a collection of postcards of steamships from the 19th and 20th centuries, travel guides of that time, anchors, and other exhibits from the museum's collection and private collections.

Additionally, the museum buildings host exhibitions: "Romanov Bridge. 100 Years Over the Volga," "Sviyazhsk During the Civil War," and "Heavenly Patrons of Sviyazhsk," which tells about the Orthodox saints associated with this place.