The museum was founded in 1918 and opened its doors to visitors on May 28, 1919. Currently, its collection includes about 95,000 exhibits, including unique wooden sculptures, ancient Russian icons, monastic treasures, as well as items from peasant and noble life. The museum manages the oldest architectural monument in Central Russia, the 12th-century Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral. Among the museum's branches are the "Botik of Peter I" estate, which houses the boat "Fortuna" from Peter I's "toy fleet," and the "Ganshins' Estate," the only place in the Yaroslavl region associated with V.I. Lenin. The museum attracts over 200,000 visitors annually, offering tours of exhibitions and the city, as well as various games and historical-artistic programs for all ages. Annual events at the museum, such as "Christmas in the Museum," "Night at the Museum," "Island of Childhood," and "The Russian Fleet Shall Be!" gather thousands of guests.