The museum was opened on March 29, 1991, in the building of the former volost administration. The first director, L.I. Mashkovtseva, was able to engage the local community as well as students from secondary and correctional schools in the creation of the museum.

Today, the museum's collections hold over 10,000 exhibits, including documents, photographs, tools, and household items.

Of particular interest are the collections of Mari and Russian folk costumes. In the section dedicated to folk education, one can see photographs and personal belongings of the oldest teacher A.N. Loptova and her father N.S. Pirovsky, who was honored by Emperor Nicholas II with the title of personal honorary citizen of the city of Yaran. There is also interesting material about the Obukhovo agricultural commune.

The museum's main tours cover topics such as: "The Distant Past of Our Region," "Revolutionary Events in Our Region," "Defenders of the Brest Fortress," "Defenders of Moscow," and "Defenders of Leningrad."

The museum offers educational services, such as lecture cycles for students and adults, as well as clubs for film demonstrations and knitting.

The museum hosts a veterans' club called "Zavalinka."