The museum was opened on November 24, 1924, thanks to the efforts of the staff of the Urzhum Department of Public Education and the Land Department. Its collections hold about 7,000 exhibits, including collections of ethnography, archaeology, numismatics, phaleristics, applied arts, and painting. Among them are 60 paintings depicting the landscapes of the Urzhum area, gifted by artists I. E. and A. I. Veprikov.

The museum building, constructed in 1907, was originally intended for a fire station. The fire brigade was located on the first floor, while the second floor housed classrooms for a real school opened the same year. The school occupied this space for five years before moving to a specially built building, now a gymnasium. In 1914, a craft school was established here, and in the 1920s, a vocational school, later a tractor school, a mechanization school, and rural vocational school No. 8.

The modern exhibition of the museum occupies eight halls. The total area of the building is 1,122 sq. m, of which 800 sq. m is allocated for exhibitions and displays. The nature hall presents key information about the physical and geographical position of the area, climate, natural resources, and their use in the economy. A diorama of the Urzhum surroundings and other illustrations showcase the beauty of the local landscapes. The exhibition of the historical department begins with displays of material culture from the ancient inhabitants of the area. Fragments of a peasant yard and izba transport visitors to the 19th century, introducing them to the life and customs of the peasants of the Urzhum district during the post-reform period. The interiors of a merchant's house and shops recreate the atmosphere of merchant life during that time.

Significant attention in the exhibition is given to the current state of industry and agriculture in the area. A separate section is dedicated to the development of culture, healthcare, and education. A special place in the museum is occupied by the diorama "The Valley of the Urzhumka River near the City of Urzhum," the first experience of creating landscape dioramas in the region's museums, made by specialists from Leningrad.