In 1991, a private museum of folk crafts opened in Kaluga. Initially, its exhibition was small, and the number of visitors did not exceed two thousand per year. Over time, the museum's collection expanded to include both modern examples of folk crafts and Kaluga clay toys from private collections, dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The museum is located in an old house belonging to merchant Tsyplyakov, built in the late 19th century in the classical style typical of urban estates. The building has a stone first floor and a wooden second, as well as a grand staircase in the courtyard with a mezzanine, which is the only one preserved in Kaluga.

Today, the museum includes three permanent exhibitions dedicated to small architectural forms, everyday life, and crafts of the Kaluga region. In the permanent collection, alongside antique items, there are works by contemporary masters created in the museum's creative-experimental laboratory, which specializes in the folk art of clay toys. During tours, workshops are held as part of the "Initial Work with Clay" program, where visitors learn about the history of the craft.

Additionally, the museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions highlighting various aspects of the region's everyday life and crafts. The themes of such exhibitions are diverse: from Christmas trees from the World War II era to exhibitions of icon covers, embroidery, and traditional costumes of the Kaluga region.

The museum also runs a school for folk craftsmen, teaching people interested in reviving folk crafts, with a focus on traditional urban clay toys. In developing the educational program, the museum staff carefully addresses the issue of popularizing cultural heritage. The program is based on identifying, preserving, and studying existing traditions, and then, after thorough analysis, a methodological base is formed for studying the spiritual and material culture of the region. During its operation, the museum staff has conducted numerous studies and made a significant contribution to the revival of folk crafts.