[1] It was opened on 3 October 1967 in Kaluga, and is named after Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, a school master and rocket science pioneer who lived most of his life in this city.
The driving force behind the creation of the museum was Sergei Korolyov, chief designer of RKK Energiya.
The building was designed by Boris Barkhin, Evgeny Kireev, Nataliya Orlova, Valentin Strogy and Kirill Fomin, and the cornerstone was laid by Yuri Gagarin on 13 June 1961.
He was researching Tsiolkovsky's notes in preparation for a book on the reclusive scientist's life, but he died before he could complete it.
[3] The museum also incorporates a scientific effort to study the life and works of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.