Omsk State Museum of History and Regional Studies was founded in 1878 on the basis of West Siberian Department of Imperial Russian Geographical Society. The initiators of its creation were: the famous russian traveller, Central Asia explorer M. V .Pevtzov , local lore expert and the instructor of Siberian Military school I. V .Slovtzov , the traveller, Siberia and Central Asia explorer, ethnographer G.N.Potanin; the prominent expert of local lore and regional separatist N.M.Yadrintzev and many others.

The museum consisted of several sections: historical-archaeological, botanic, zoological, meteorological, forestry and others. During the revolution and the Civil War great efforts of the museum workers helped to keep the collections safe. In 1923 the museum separated from Russian Geographical Society. That year it got one of the best buildings of Omsk -former Govemor-General Residence. In 1924 F .V .Melekhin became the director of the museum and many great changes that took place in the work of the museum were closely connected with his name: the opening of the Arts Gallery, natural history and cultural-historical departments. Many famous scientists -archaeologists, ethnographers, zoologists -I.N .Shukhov , V .P .Levashova, T .I.Mylnikova, V .N .Vassiljeva, P .L.Dravert were enlisted for work at the museum. Regional Studies became the main work in the museum activities. During the Great Patriotic War nurnerous valuable collections evacuated from

    Moscow, Vologda, Novgorod, Voronezh were placed in Omsk Museum. From 1943 to 1957 the museum was run by A.F .Palashenkov -a remarkable local lore expert, passionate historian of the region, palaeontologist and ethnographer, specialist in folk-lore, archaeologist and a gifted museum director. After the war the expositions of the museum changed many times with the regard for the rapid development of the society. Since 1950s the museum constantly supervised the work of district museums of regional studies of Omsk region. The result of this work was the foundation of the museum amalgamation -State United Historical and Literary Museum. In 1985 the Museum removed to a new bigger building and began to digest the exposition space. In the early 90s when the economic situation in the country became aggravated, the museum experienced the same financial difficulties. But, in spite of this, the staff continued its fruitful work. During the last years some exhibitions were made devoted to the most interesting pages of the history of Omsk and West Siberian region: 'Sacred and true for all the times'(to the 180th Anniversary of Siberian Military School), to-the 120th Anniversary of A.V.Koltchak" to the centinnial of Omsk Eparchy, Exhibition on the history of the Cossacks, 'Germans in Siberia', 'Underwater Miracle Parade', 'Grandpa's awards.' The results of the restoration work of the museum and cooperation with the leading restoration centers of the country -State Research Restoration Institute, Restoration Center named after Grabar, Joint-Stock Company 'Kupina' -were displayed at the exhibition 'The Craft of Restoration' .Great importance was attached to the creation of the exposition on history of the Soviet period 'Omsk region.1917-1996. ' And the permanent ethnographical exhibition' Asian Russia' .The exhibitions of the museum are also displayed in other cities: St.Peterburg, Novosibirsk, Surgut, Slavgorod. Being on the threshold of the XXI century the museum raises new tasks of further systematic replenishing of the collections paying special attention to the documenting of contemporary processes in the society, cataloguizing of all the collections and starts making the General Catalogue of the Museum; continues scientific methodical supervision of district and rural museums of Omsk region.