Existing at the moment of the Cherepovets Museum Association is the largest complex dedicated to the Museum's exhibits with a collection of monuments, which account for over half of the Museum Fund of the Vologda region. A single Museum complex includes museums of various profiles. To date, the Cherepovets Museum Association consists of five departments: Art Museum, history Museum, nature Museum, the Memorial house-Museum named after Vereshagin, the House-Museum of Ivan Milyutin A., archaeology Museum, Children's Museum, Museum of history and Ethnography named Gali, Exhibition hall, Literary-memorial Museum of the estate Northerner. In addition, the Museum owns the building that are considered monuments: the monument of wooden architecture of the first third of the 19th century manor house is famous for landlords Gali. At the disposal of the Museum houses a research library, equestrian section, the archive, as well as various kinds of mugs.

The Cherepovets Museum Association began its work in 1990-ies on the basis of one of the oldest museums of the Vologda region. The earliest mention of the Museum belong to 1870. At this time, the Museum was considered to be the second after the Novgorod Museum-largest. The Museum was opened on the initiative of the city Manager Milyutina I. A., as well as ethnographer and archaeologist E. V. Barsova. Initially, the Museum had its own building, so the collection was stored in the City Duma, either in teaching Seminary. Because of this uncertainty, most things were destroyed with no refund. In March 1891 the fire occurred, which destroyed a large number of items.

Following the revival of the Museum occurred in 1895. Podvysotsky N. In., as a teacher in the Seminary, and later became the Director of the Museum, insisted that City Council took a positive decision on the issue of the United Museum. March 31, in 1896, took place the solemn opening of the Museum. The first exhibition started its work in a small room of 15 square meters in the room the Salt garden. At the opening of the Museum Fund had 3759 items that were received from the Amateur enthusiasts. At the moment the Foundation of the Cherepovets Museum Association has more than 412 thousand units.

In 1989, the Museum has been constructed stone building, located on Alexander Avenue. The Museum consisted of divisions: the Church-archaeological, numismatic, natural history, ethnographic, industrial, and portrait. In 1920, the opening of the local nature Museum of a name of A. I. Herzen, and the Museum was renamed the Museum of antiquity. Soon, the Museum received the status of scientific and research institutions, as well as performed the work entrusted to the Academy of Sciences. In 1928 there was built a stone building, which houses the Museum of local lore. During 1936-1937, the Museum was transformed into a regional Museum of the Leningrad region, and later – the Museum of the Vologda region. In the first years after world war II greatly expanded exhibition Museum square at the expense of the exhibition hall and opening new departments.

Today, the Museum employs approximately 207 people, including 85 people – researchers. The Museum organizes different kinds of thematic Museum lessons, exhibitions and lectures. Exhibitions, which are always present in the Museum, often complemented by temporary exhibitions, not only from the stock of inventories of the Museum, but also from other Russian museums, works of folk craftsmen, artists and private collections. Numerous scientific staff of the Museum are continuously working on research in various fields of activity. Each year, carry out scientific meetings or round tables. The tradition is carried out in the departments of the Museum of musical-literary evenings, meetings with famous and interesting people, different kinds of presentations. Cherepovets Museum Department has to cooperate in the promotion and preservation of culture and history with commercial organizations, educational institutions and companies.