Azerbaijan State Museum of Art was founded in 1936. In 1943 the museum was named after the famous theater artist R. Mustafayev, who was one of the founders of Azerbaijani theater and decorative art. Prior to the 1950s. It housed in several historic mansions. In 1951, by order of the Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan M. Bagirov, the museum was transferred to the beautiful building of the XIX century. - Debura mansion, built by the engineer von der Nona.

The Azerbaijan State Art Museum has more than 17 thousand. Pieces, so it is considered the largest art museum in the country. The museum exhibition presents a variety of works of Azerbaijani, Russian and Western European artists, as well as samples of decorative art. In addition, the museum's collection includes archaeological sites, ceramic, brass, jewelry, carpets and national clothes.

The Azerbaijan State Art Museum presents many works of the founders of the realistic art of Azerbaijan MK Erivan, MM Nevvab A. Azimzade and B.Kengerli, the best works of contemporary artists of the country M. Abdullaev, S. Bahlulzade, T. Salahov, T. Narimanbeyov and so on.

The Department of Western European art kept painting by Ostade, Guercino, Syustermansa Yu, G. and M. Duguay Mirevelta and sculpture, decorative and applied arts and graphics from France, Germany and Italy.

In the section devoted to Russian art, the audience could see the works of Ivan Aivazovsky, K. Bryullov, V. Borovikovsky, Argunova N., Levitan, V. Makovsky, V. Tropinin, I. Grabar, K. Korovin, Roerich and others. Particularly noteworthy are the works of Russian artists, dedicated to Azerbaijan. This includes the work "View of Baku from the sea" Vereshchagin.