The Arseniev Museum is the best place in Vladivostok to understand the history of the Russian Far East — from indigenous peoples and pre-Russian history through the founding of the city and the Soviet period. The natural history collections are strong, with exhibits on the Ussuri taiga, the Amur tiger, and the unique ecology of the Primorsky region. The ethnographic collections document the cultures of the Nanai, Udege, and other indigenous peoples of the far east.
The building itself is a handsome old merchant house on the central street. The English-language labelling is inconsistent, but the collections are extensive enough that some language barrier is manageable. Allow two hours at minimum.