Brief description: The Museum of History of Azerbaijan is the largest museum of Azerbaijan which was founded in 1920 and was placed in the most beautiful architectural monuments of Baku was built in 1895-96, That was the private residence of Hadji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev who was the famous oil magnate and philanthropist. At the beginning of May 1921 accepting the first visitors this museum was called as the State Museum of Azerbaijan SSR till 1936, at that time the museum became the center of developing research and museum works in our Republic. Based on valuable of arts-history of the museum in 20-30 years there were founded the museums of nature-history arts theatre, literature, religion and atheism, State Historical-Architecture Reserve Museum The Complex of Shirvanshahs' Palace, later the department of manuscript which was recalled as the Institute of Manuscript of Academy. From the first day of foundation this museum being the center of cultural-educational and sciences carries out its research activities leaning on structure of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.
The research plans of museum are to study all periods of the history of Azerbaijan from the ancient period and museum also takes into account to reflect all research problems by expositions and exhibitions. This museum put the base of scientific studies of ancient culture valuables of monuments in Azerbaijan territory.
The museum's archeologists carried out research under the Caspian Sea in 60-70s years and after these archaeological excavations the museum became the center of underwater archaeological research of our Republic. There are in the museum are stored more than 250 000 different items, referring to many other periods and the patterns of material spiritual culture are stored in 10 departments of museum. There are in museum are stored 22 000 exhibits belong to the Paleolithic Period of Azerbaijan History and the end of Middle centuries. There are in the museum are stored the exhibits of handicraft also agricultural and mode of life things which were made of stone, copper and a lot of ceramic and clay plates and decorative exhibits.
The department of numismatics is considered one of the most important and valuable sources of museum for study the history of Azerbaijan there are 150 000 items of coins and money belong to different periods of history and adorning of this department.           The department of valuable metals has special importance in studying the national applied handcraft and its way of developing. Starting from early middle centuries including different periods of our history all these materials made by Azerbaijan's jewelers differ with its grace and styles. There is in this department are stored a lot of patterns of jewelry made by Azeri people in past centuries they were made of gold, silver, precious stones and attractive items and owing to that we can find out the technology of preparation all these things. The department of Modern History includes more than 2 000 different exhibits. A lot of banners belonged to Azerbaijan khanliglar and later to Czar army of XIX century, keys to Azerbaijan cities which were bereaved by Russian at the beginning of XIX century, different kinds of armors are considerate the rare exhibits of this department.
There is in this department are stored guns and cold steels which belong to not only Azerbaijan but also to Eastern and Western countries which were made by skilled masters with the highest quality.
There are more than 11 000 documents, photo albums, posters, newspapers, postcards and etc. are stored in the department of documental sources.
Even surrounding more than 6 000 materials of handcraft, there are a
grate number of documents, also pattern of art documentations in the
department of recent history. Since formalizing, the department has been included the gifts from foreign countries to Azerbaijan.
From the first day of foundation till nowadays there were placed the first state library of Azerbaijan including a lot of books, more   than 80 000 belong to XIX-XX centuries. A number of books, newspapers, journals of this library, which has a thousand of readers, differs by its rare copy and individuality.
The rich negative department of the museum, also the section of rare
books are stored and reserved the photo-negatives and valuable literature which reflects the most important events in life of Azerbaijan society.
The valuable material research works stored in the departments of museum play a role as a source for art work and most of monograph. The rich collections of the museum makes up the base of articles, albums, books, catalogues, booklets published in different years.