The museum was founded on September 8, 1989. The main activities of the museum are the history of literature, music, theater and cinema, fine arts and folk art of Altai. Currently, the museum fund has about 72,000 items. ch., it includes the personal fund of the writer, director and actor V.M. Shukshin; the family foundation of the artist, scientist, public figure N.K. Roerich; the fund of the writer, a native of Altai G.D. Grebenshchikov and other funds of Altai cultural figures, thematic meetings.

The exposition complex of the museum consists of 12 thematic halls reflecting the historical and cultural processes on the territory of Altai from Scythian times to the present day. The museum carries out extensive educational activities aimed at expanding the cultural space in the Altai Territory, being one of the organizers of the popularization of achievements in the field of culture and art of Altai.

The museum has two branches: the Memorial Museum of Film Actress E.F. Savinova (the village of Yeltsovka, Yeltsovsky district), the Memorial Museum of the poet R.I. Rozhdestvensky (village of Kosikha, Kosikhinsky district).