Ю. А. Орлова) was founded by Paleontological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciencies in 1937 prior to the XVII session of the International Geological Congress.

Particularly well represented are dinosaurs from Mongolia, therapsids from the Perm region of Russia, and Precambrian fossils from Siberia.

During the German-Soviet War the museum was closed and the major part of collection relocated to Alma-Ata.

In 1944 museum was reopened for the general public, but in 1954 it was closed again due to the shortage of display space.

In 1965 the USSR Council of Ministers granted 2 million rubles for the construction of the new museum building.