Irkutsk's regional museum was founded in 1782 upon the initiative of local nobles and merchants and is one of the oldest museums in Siberia. In 1879 the museum was destroyed in the Great Fire of Irkutsk, but reopened in 1888. The museum today is divided into two main departments: one dedicated to history and one to nature, which are both located on Ulitsa Karla Marksa.

The Regional Museum's History Department is located in the main building which was built in 1883 especially to hold a museum. The department has a large archaeological section displaying important stone-age finds from digs from the nearby settlements of Malta and Buret, including Venus figurines and other decorations. There is also information on Siberian ethnography and the local shamanist and lamaist beliefs. In addition there are also exhibits on more recent events in the history of the region.