The idea of creating the Museum arose with collector Boris Mintz in 2012. The paintings were first shown as a unified collection at the MacDougall's auction house in the spring of 2014. After the official presentation in Moscow, most of the future permanent collection was showcased in Ivanovo, Venice, and Freiburg. In 2015, the Museum of Russian Impressionism became a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Since its opening, the Museum has been actively engaged in educational and outreach programs. The project "Painting in the Library," implemented in collaboration with "Inostranka," has visited several major cities in Russia over nearly three years and brought the Museum to the finals of the "Intermuseum-2016" competition.