Azerbaijan state Museum of art was founded in 1936 To 1943, the Museum was named in honor of the famous theatre artist R. Mustafayev, who was one of the founders of Azerbaijani theater and decorative art. Until the 1950s was housed in several historic mansions. In 1951, by order of the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist party of Azerbaijan M. Bagirov was given to the Museum a beautiful building of XIX century - the mansion Debur, built by engineer von der nonne.

In the Azerbaijan state Museum of art has more than 17 thousand exhibits, so it is considered the largest art Museum in the country. In the Museum exposition presents works of Azerbaijani, Russian and Western European artists, as well as samples of decorative art. In addition, the Museum collection includes archaeological monuments, ceramic, copper, jewelry, carpets and traditional clothes.

In the Azerbaijan state Museum of art presents many of the founders of the realistic art of Azerbaijan M. Erivan K., M. navab, A. Azimzade and B. Kengerli, the best works of contemporary artists of the country M. Abdullaev, S. Bahlulzade, T. Salakhov, carrying out activities and so on.

In the Department of Western European art paintings A. Ostade, Guercino, Y. Sustermans, G. Dughet and M. Mirabella, as well as sculptures, objects of decorative arts and drawings from France, Germany and Italy.

In the Department devoted to Russian art, the visitors of the work of Ivan Aivazovsky, Karl Bryullov, V. Borovikovsky, N. Argunova, I. Levitan, V. Makovsky, V. Tropinin, I. Grabar, K. Korovin, N. Roerich, etc. particularly noteworthy are the works of Russian artists who are devoted to Azerbaijan. This includes "view of Baku from the sea" V. Vereshchagin.