The history of the "Taltsy" museum began in the 1960s when the construction of the Ust-Ilimsk Hydroelectric Power Station started upstream of the Angara River. As a result, vast territories, including dozens of villages, were flooded. Local historians, researchers, and concerned residents recognized the need to preserve unique monuments of Russian wooden architecture, such as the Spasskaya passing tower from 1667 and the Kazan gate church from 1679, which were part of the Ilim fortress founded in 1630.

It was decided to relocate these historical monuments to the shore of the Irkutsk reservoir. The construction of the museum complex effectively began in 1970. Not only the Spasskaya tower and Kazan church were moved to the museum, but also other unique monuments of history and architecture from the Irkutsk region.

Today, the museum is divided into thematic zones. For example, the "Volost Village" exhibition recreates the administrative center of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and includes the "Volost Administration," a parish school, the estates of a psalmist and a city Cossack. Visitors can see a cascade of water mills from the late 19th century, craft workshops, a traditional Buryat winter ulus, and Evenki buildings.

Every year, the museum hosts folk festivals and celebrations for Christmas, Maslenitsa, Easter, and Trinity.

The modern "Taltsy" museum is not only a place for preserving monuments of folk architecture and traditional Russian wooden construction but also a popular tourist center that attracts both residents of Irkutsk and visitors to the city. The museum is located on the famous Baikal highway leading to the shores of the great lake.