The museum features interesting collections, such as weapons, Orenburg down shawls, antique books, documents, and photographs from the 19th century, as well as items of peasant life. The exhibition includes sections on nature, a hall of fame, the history of the region from the 17th century to the early 20th century, and a section dedicated to the Sarakhtash district in the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum was founded by the director of the Spasskaya rural secondary school, Mikhail Mefodievich Chumakov, a historian and geographer, a true patriot of his land.

On November 14, 1979, the executive committee of the Sarakhtash district council of people's deputies decided to organize a committee for the creation of a district historical and local history museum, which opened in 1982. The leader was Chumakov M. M., with assistants L. D. Glyanko and N. K. Korolkova. From 1979 to November 1, 1983, the museum received and displayed 3,295 authentic exhibits. Since January 1, 1984, the museum has become an independent cultural and educational institution by the decision of the regional council of people's deputies. Chumakov organized expeditions to the villages of the district, events for children, actively collaborated with the district and regional press, and devoted much time to work in the regional archive. His scientific activity was expressed in articles and collections of scientific works about the Orenburg region and the Sarakhtash district. Chumakov was a distinguished teacher of Russia, a laureate of the Sholokhov literary prize, and a member of the Geographic Society of the USSR.

On March 28, 2008, the district council of people's deputies decided to name the museum after M. M. Chumakov. The main areas of the museum's work include the preservation, study, and popularization of historical and cultural heritage, as well as patriotic education for youth. The museum implements long-term programs such as "I am a citizen of Russia, I am a Sarakhtash resident," "Cultures of the Sarakhtash district for 2008, 2013," as well as cultural and educational programs for children and schoolchildren: "Alphabet of Ethnography," "History of Our Land," "Famous People of the Sarakhtash District," "Natural Monuments of the Sarakhtash District." The Chumakov readings have become a tradition.