Founded in 1887, the museum is today one of the largest in the Northeast of Russia. It is renowned for its rich collection of historical and cultural artifacts of the peoples of Yakutia and is known as a center for cultural and educational activities. The museum's scientific research is focused on its unique features. The main direction, source studies, emphasizes cataloging collections, archaeology, and ethnography of Yakutia, as well as the history of museum affairs in the region and Siberia. The results of the museum staff's scientific work are published in scientific collections, journals, and monographs.

The museum is a member of the Union of Museums of Russia and maintains close ties with Russian and foreign museums and international organizations. It was first recognized on the international stage in 1981 at the exhibition "Man and His World" in Montreal, Canada. Since then, the museum has actively participated in exhibitions, showcasing its collections in various countries and regions of Russia.

Currently, the museum has seven branches:

- Cherkekh Historical and Memorial Museum "Yakut Political Exile";
- Republican Museum of the History of Statehood of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) named after Maxim Kirovich Ammosov;
- House Museum "Yakut Exile";
- Memorial House Museum of Maxim Kirovich Ammosov;
- House Museum of Emelyan Yaroslavsky;
- Museum of Statehood of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) named after Platon Alexeyevich Oyunsky;
- Museum of Statehood of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) named after Isidor Nikiforovich Barakhov;
- Museum of Military Glory (department).

Every year, the museum and its branches are visited by more than 120,000 people. Over 150 exhibitions and more than two hundred cultural and educational events are held annually. The museum's collections hold more than 120,000 items in the main and scientific auxiliary funds.