The museum was opened in 1942 in the building of '' Chifte Minareli ''. One of the main collections of the museum are the works purchased or donated by citizens and found in archaeological excavations. Later, in 1967, Erzurum Museum was invited to move into the new building. In 1994, the museum was opened in madrassas "Yakutia". Here, the main exposition was ethnographic work and findings of the Turkic-Islamic period. Soon, the museum was renamed and is divided into the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Turkish-Islamic works.

The excavations of ancient settlements Archaeological Museum became the owner of the most valuable works, and today has a rich collection of exhibits.

In the hall of ancient settlements located works acquired by the museum, as a result of excavations in the area. Among them a special place is occupied by the artifacts found during excavations in Karaz (1942-1944 gg.), Pulure (1960) and Sosa (1994-1998.). It also exposed objects and works that relate to the history of human civilization since the fourth century BC and up to the time of the Seljuk. They are represented by figurines, arrowheads, sacred sources of fire, stone products, vessels of clay zhzhёnoy.

The next room is called the Hall of Rome, the Hellenic time and Transcaucasia. In this room are exhibited works that the museum acquired as a result of excavations in Ikiztepe. They belong to the Byzantine and Roman times, among them there are rings, tiaras, gold items, earrings and items from zhzhёnoy clay, glass bottles for the tears, sarcophagi, as well as an exhibition of objects and works of art belonging to the second millennium BC, which depict the level of culture of Eastern Anatolia, West Van, Lake Urmia coasts nation that is on the south-east and Georgia, which is in the northeast.

From the heritage of Urartu in the museum exhibits: metal utensils made from zhzhёnoy clay, decorative purposes, objects of aesthetic purpose, printing plates oath, military equipment and other items.

In the hall of the coins presented coins belonging to the time of Byzantium and Rome. In the hall of Natural History located plate-inscriptions, Urartu epitaphs, acquired by the museum. Careful attention to engage the works Mamudov who lived five hundred thousand years ago.