The Sumgait History Museum covers the history of the city and the wider Absheron Peninsula from prehistoric times to the Soviet industrial era. The collections include local archaeological finds, exhibits on the oil and chemical industries that built the city, and material on the ethnic conflict and refugee crisis of 1988 — a chapter in Azerbaijani history that the museum addresses more directly than many official institutions do.
The museum is small but well organised, and the staff are generally willing to discuss the exhibits with visiting foreigners. Some labelling is in Azerbaijani only.