Taganrog Museum of Art was officially inaugurated in 1968, but the basis of the museum collection was formed by the end of the 19th century, when the art department of the Taganrog's city museum was established.
Renowned playwright and short-story writer Anton Chekhov played a major role in establishing the collection of his home city through his connections in St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and his friends like Mark Antokolski etc.
The most important part of the museum collection was formed in the Soviet Union time, and features two departments - Russian art before the Russian Revolution of 1917 and Soviet art.
The whole collection of art was looted from the museum during the Occupation of Taganrog in 1941–1943.
Since 1975, the museum of art is located at the former mansion of merchant Anton Handrin on Alexandrovskaya street 56.
