The history of the museum begins in the 1920s and is connected with the scientific research society "Sakha kесkilе" (Future of the Yakuts). From the very beginning, the art section of this society was led by outstanding figures of national culture P. A. Oyunsky and A. I. Sofronov. On November 8, 1928, an art hall opened in the Regional Local History Museum. In 1946, it was transformed into the Yakut Museum of Fine Arts. In 1970, the museum was named after Professor M. F. Gabyshev. In 1995, the State Museum Art Complex "National Art Museum of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)" was established on its basis, which includes four branches in the region. The museum's collection covers domestic and foreign art from the 16th to the 20th centuries.

The most significant part of the collection is the collection of Yakut art from the 18th to the 20th centuries, which includes painting, graphics, sculpture, folk and decorative applied art. The section on Yakut carved bone, known since the 18th century, stands out, representing the rich heritage of folk craftsmen. The collection of traditional national art includes artistic metalwork, wood carving, birch bark products, horsehair weaving, patterned sewing, and bead embroidery on fur and fabric.

The art of the 20th century is represented by all types, genres, styles, and directions, including monographic sections of leading artists and graphic artists of Yakutia. The permanent exhibition is mainly located in the three-story building of the museum in the city center, where the collections of visual arts of Yakutia, decorative applied creativity, and works by renowned artists of Russian and domestic art from the 17th to the 20th centuries are presented in the most complete volume.