The article is devoted to consideration of the museums as an institution in the formation of historical memory in contemporary Russia. Feature of the study is to approach memory studies as one of the most intensively developing and relevant interdisciplinary research areas. In the framework of this direction, the Museum serves, on the one hand, as a place of memory and, on the other hand, as an instrument of historical policy. The authors propose to divide all museums into several types. This systematization is based on the analysis of existing museums in Russia in the context of conservation and relay of historical memory. The article analyses modern trends and techniques of analysis and understanding of museums, role in history, the ways the most successful use of historic heritage in Museum practice. The authors come to the conclusion that the understanding of the Museum as a public institution, which in modern conditions can be effective and popular, primarily as a policy instrument memory. They call for understanding the importance of the aspect of historical memory (cultural memory, communication, collective memory of a particular social group) must be linked to a particular Museum.