[1][2]: 49 [dead link‍] The museum hosts artifacts, maps and photographs related to the 10,000-year history of the Yahgan people, as well as European settlers since the 19th century.

Before the museum was founded, archaeological materials from the island's coastal areas as well as objects of historical interest were collected and exhibited in then-Mixed School N°3 of Puerto Williams.

The structure is partly built of Alerce wood, The goal of the exhibition is to "inspire the conservation of the cultural and natural heritage of the region".

[5] In two floors and three halls and 810 square metres (8,700 sq ft),[2]: 49 [dead link‍] the museum offers a variety of perspectives on the history and culture of the region: The first floor shows photographs, maps, objects as a synthesis of the history of the Yahgan people, the first explorations by Europeans and Chileans (1520–1890), and the gold rush from 1890 to 1950.

Articulating the Myths, a Meeting of Perspectives: The reproduction of a traditional canoe is displayed in the center of the hall to symbolize the spirit and heart of the Museum: to serve as a vessel that enables people to travel to other shores of understanding.

The museum is involved in local or neighbourhood work across a range of services, including information and advice, counseling, advocacy and support: delivering a Wi-Fi zone, skill enhancement for teachers, art expositions, films exhibition, etc.

It was the first building erected by Europeans in Tierra del Fuego and was named for the missionary Waite Stirling, who had set up a mission at Ushuaia, living in a hut.