The Museum of Fine Arts of the Republic of Karelia is located in the historical center of Petrozavodsk, on the former Cathedral Square, in one of the old stone mansions. This building, an architectural monument of the 18th century, had a happy fate for two centuries to fulfill the noble mission of enlightenment. Over the years, it housed a public school, the Olonets Men's Gymnasium, the Public Library, the Palace of Pioneers and the School of Culture.
In 2010, the Museum celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, but its collections are much older. The history of their formation is closely connected with the fate of the city, the activities of generations of collectors, researchers, museum workers.