The Museum was founded by Peter the great in 1703, it was originally a place of storage "memorable and funny" guns (it was written in the Peter the great). A special decree ordered to deliver the most unusual and valuable specimens of artillery, and subsequently other types of weapons and ammunition, banners and uniforms. This indication was extended to the booty captured in wars Peter.

Empress Elizaveta Petrovna issued a decree transformed the Armory into Memorable hall in 1756. The location was chosen Foundry yard. Real life Museum began when it was decided to put the military historical collection. This event occurred in 1868.

The Museum is located at Kronwerk (Peter and Paul fortress). From German, this word is translated as "strengthening " crown". Originally crownwork served as one of the elements of the defensive system of the fortress. It was built four years (1705-1708), later strengthened several times and rebuilt. In the late 18th century, the building ceased to carry defensive value. With Crownwork associated with such historic figures as Peter the Great, Earl B. H., Munnich, count P. I. Shuvalov, L. Prince of Hesse-Homburg, General-Mayon A. P. Hannibal, etc.

In 1963 the funds of the historical Museum of Artillery were added to the collection from the holdings of the Central historical military engineering Museum. Later in the Artillery Museum includes Military Museum context. Changed the name, the Museum was renamed Visavis (Military-historical Museum of artillery, engineer and signal corps).

The Museum displays the collection of weapons from 54 countries and Russia. The weapon is presented, and experimental designs; and personal weapons belonging to the best and naval commanders; and the best serial samples, made a great contribution to the victory. But arms exhibited at the form of different types of troops, models of fortresses, military awards, models of fortifications from the time of Peter to the present day; original archival documents relating to weapons.

The Museum is decorated with pictorial, graphic and sculptural works on military subjects. Examples of machinery cause visitors to admiration and interest with its perfect lines. Historical armored car, which was V. I. Lenin in his speech at the Finland station, weapons and personal belongings of Napoleon; guns Shuvalov and Nartova, which have no analogues in the world, not to leave anyone indifferent.

One of the Central places in the Museum is the exhibition "Kalashnikov – a man, arms, legend" to become a permanent, devoted to Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, the Creator of the whole complex of automatic firearms. A weapon that still has no analogues.

In 2006, the Museum opened a new section of the exhibition devoted to military Affairs epochs of the Middle ages, Renaissance and modern times, which collected samples of weapons from Western countries ages 15-17.

The courtyard of the crownwork, which houses the outdoor exhibition in 2008 "decorated" a new exhibit – an Intercontinental strategic missile complex "Topol" (RS-12M).

The abundance of equipment and weapons of the past has enabled it to become the Museum's venue for festivals of military-historical reconstructions and demonstrations, which are conducted by the representatives of the Club "Silhouette". The members of this club do not allow you to forget such a rare now the art of historical fencing techniques which can be lost.

In the vicinity of the Museum are organized archaeological excavations, during which were found mass graves where they were buried by the builders and defenders of St. Petersburg. In addition, the finds suggests that the history of these places began much earlier, before the arrival on the shores of the Baltic Swedes.

Now the Museum is located at the address Alexandrovsky Park, 7.