The museum was created in the mid-30s of the 20th century by an artist and ethnographer, collector of antiquities I.O.Plis.
The museum is doing a lot of work to popularize the history of its area. One hall is devoted to the life and work of the founder in the city of Kharkiv, the first in the country of the private school of drawing and painting – Maria Dmitrievna Raevskaya-Ivanova.