Novosibirsk State Museum of Local Lore was opened in 1920, and in 1986 it was housed in the city's commercial art nouveau building of the early XX century. Originally, the basement was occupied by stockrooms and the ground floor – by shops.
Today, the basement of Novosibirsk State Museum of Local Lore exhibits a collection of weapons, tools, clothing and jewelry, household decorations and religious cults of the peoples of Siberia, since the Paleolithic era. Exhibits on the ground floor are devoted to various landmarks of the Novosibirsk region history. The second floor was occupied by the city government. Meetings and theatrical performances were held in the main hall which admitted up to a thousand people. Now temporary exhibitions are arranged on the second floor.