Nikolay Przhevalskiy was a 19th-century Russian explorer who traveled to China, Tibet, and Central Asia collecting an enormous amount of botanical samples and zoological information. He even discovered a horse species that still bears his name and mapped the Tibetan mountains

Przhevalskiy died of typhus during an exploration of the Issyk Kul lake near Karakol. This museum was created in his honor and first opened in 1957.

The museum showcases dozens of photos, designs, documents, objects, awards, and some taxidermied animals such as a Przhevalskiy's horse. Among these items is also a giant map that showcases Przhevalskiy's travels.

Outside the building, there is a monument to Przhevalskiy just in front of his grave.