The Crimean Republican Institution «Central Museum of Tavrida» (before 2006 Crimean Republican Museum of Local Lore) is one of the largest scientific and educational institutions of Crimea, engaged in the collection, storage and study of historical and cultural heritage and natural riches of Crimea.
The collection of the Crimean Republican Institution «Central Museum of Tavrida» is rightfully considered to be one of the most interesting in Crimea. Its history dates back to the Museum of Antiquities of the Tauride Academic Archival Commission (founded in 1887) and the Natural History Museum of the Tauride zemstvo (founded in 1899).
The collection of the museum has more than 100 thousand exhibits, including a significant collection of archaeological objects, a collection of numismatics, a unique collection of graphics of the XVIII-XIX centuries with views of the Crimea, a substantial photo and documentary fund. The museum keeps interesting historical and everyday things, decorative and applied arts, ethnographic collections.
The modern exposition is in the stage of formation. Several permanent exposition sections are open for visitors: «The Past of Tavrida», «Tavricheskaya Gubernia», «Protected Landscapes of Crimea», «Nature of Crimea: paleontology, geology, relief», «Crimea during the Great Patriotic War», «Revival of the Soul». Of great interest is the new exposition «The Life and Work of I.L. Selvinsky», opened in October 2009 in the reconstructed house of the poet in the historical part of the city (Bondarny per., 2/7).
The pride of the museum is the scientific library «Tavrika» named after A.H. Steven, founded on November 24, 1873. It is the result of the merger of several local libraries and a number of private collections: the library of the Tavrichesky provincial zemstvo, the library of the TUAC, the library of the Crimean Society of Naturalists and Nature Lovers, the library of the Central Museum of Tavrida, the libraries of N. A. Golovkinsky, A. L. Berthier-Delagard, part of the library of Nicholas II from the Livadia Palace and others.
«Tavrika» is the main repository of literature about Crimea, published in the world for the last 400 years. The unique fund containing more than 40 thousand volumes on history, archeology and nature of the region is known far beyond the peninsula.
Along with such rarities as the manuscript «Tanakh» (Pentateuch) of the XI century, written in Hebrew square script on parchment sheets (243 sheets — this is the most complete of about 30 such manuscripts known to have survived from this period), 
in the collection of «Tavrika» — books of the Publishing House of Elsevier (late XV — mid XVI centuries.), Russian manuscript books of spiritual content (XVII-XVIII centuries.), works of the first travelers and explorers of the Crimea.
Every year the Museum carries out a great scientific work, creates more than 30 diversified exhibitions, exhibited not only in the Crimea, but also abroad. The archaeological collection of the Museum was exhibited at international exhibitions in Italy (1994, 1995), France (1997), Germany (1999 — 2010).
Today the museum has opened a unique exhibition from the archaeological collection Treasures of the Crimean Gothia.