The National Museum of the Republic of Karelia in Petrozavodsk was founded in 1871 and was originally dedicated to history, ethnography, and the natural-industrial sphere. During the Soviet period, it became known as the Karelian Regional Museum.

In 1960, the artistic collection accumulated over nearly a century served as the basis for the creation of a new permanent exhibition space in Petrozavodsk, the Museum of Fine Arts, which now also holds national status.

The modern name, National Museum of the Republic of Karelia, was assigned in September 2011. The museum is located in the historic governor's house from the late 18th century on Lenin Square and has two regional branches.

The museum's storage holds over 220,000 items, and permanent exhibitions are displayed in 22 halls. The museum's exhibits allow visitors to learn about the uniqueness of the region and its significance in the history of the country and the world.

The museum's permanent exhibitions cover several themes: the region's nature is presented in the halls "Stones Tell," "Glacier Traces," and "Taiga Land," where one can learn about geology, climate, flora, and fauna. The archaeological hall showcases artifacts from excavations, petroglyphs, and other finds, and offers a space "Visiting an Ancient Tribe," which tells about the lives of ancient people. The halls dedicated to the history of Karelia cover the Middle Ages, the era of Peter I, the Alexandrovsky factory, the forest and mining industries, the establishment of the Olonets province, and the founding of Petrozavodsk. There are also exhibitions about the everyday life of townspeople in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the history of the Orthodox Church, education, healthcare, culture, and folklore. In the Noble Assembly Hall, one can see 19th-century interiors, while the new hall "Northern Quadrille" is dedicated to Karelian national costumes.

The main building of the museum is located at Lenin Square, 1. In the adjacent building, functioning as an exhibition complex, there are:

On the first floor, an interactive area "Bear Corner" with models of the habitats of forest dwellers, such as an eagle's nest, a beaver dam, and a bear's den. Visitors can explore these areas, listen to animal sounds, and learn interesting facts in a playful manner.

On the second floor, the exhibition "Nature of Karelia" features a relief map of Lake Onega, dioramas, and showcases with animals from the region and inhabitants of the White Sea, as well as various educational games.