The Old Sarepta Historical, Ethnographical and Architectural Museum-Reserve was founded in 1989 around the surviving complex of 26 buildings which was once the Moravian Brethren settlement of Sarepta. The colony was established in 1765 when German settlers were invited to settle in south Russia to develop agriculture in the Volga region - these settlers later became known as Volga Germans. In 1920 the settlement was renamed Krasnoarmeisk and has since been incorporated into Volgograd as the Krasnoarmeisky District.

The open-air museum's buildings mainly date from the late 18th-century which is quite a feat considering the destruction the city suffered during the war years. One of the main highlights is the complex's church which contains a church organ and the library which holds over 15,000 books, predominantly in German. The complex also has expositions on the history of the colony and holds various temporary exhibitions.