The museum also contains collection of works of Mordovian folk artists, such as Fedot Sychkov, and Ivan Makarov.

In 2002, the museum was classified by the Government of Mordovia as one of the most valuable objects of cultural heritage of Mordovian people.

On March 14, 1941, in accordance with the resolution of the Counscil of National Mordovian Comissars, the gallery of arts was opened in Saransk.

Also, the museum received a big collection of works of Mordovian famous sculptor Stepan Erzya.

The exhibition hall of the museum (Sovetskaya street, 29, Saransk, Russia), was built in the mid 1950s by the architect S. Levkov.