It was established on the premises of the Tribal Research Institute in 1974.

Confined within the boundaries of the building, it moved to a new site in Hotwar, Ranchi.

On 10 September 2009,[2] the museum was inaugurated by Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari of India.

[3][4] The museum was built to express the cultural heritage of Jharkhand.

[5] It has ten galleries, and contains paintings by artists from many states such as Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar.