The museum opened in 1970, in the Brigham City Community Center building.

In 1969 a precursor to the museum was briefly open on Main Street, celebrating the centennial of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

In the early years, exhibitions changed monthly and included a wide variety of exhibitions, generally drawn from personal collections of board members or friends of the museum.

The museum's permanent collections include artifacts, photographs, and documents related to the pioneer settlement of Brigham City and Shoshone occupations in the area (including that of the Washakie), as well as historical items from throughout Box Elder County from settlement to the present.

The museum also has a collection of fine art, including works by a variety of Utah artists.