Modern people think of maritime pilots as fairy-tale characters, fictional heroes of cartoons and children's films. But in the 19th century, pilots were in-demand specialists, whose knowledge and experience were passed down from fathers to sons, forming the dynasties of pilots. Back then, the rivers were not so vast and deep, and the ships were heavy and difficult to control. Therefore, specialists who could easily navigate the ship on the river were in high demand. These experts were pilots, who lived in the town of Myshkin on the left bank of the most famous Russian river, the Volga. Therefore, it is not surprising that many years later, in 1966, this town became home to the "Capital of Navigation Pilots" museum, the expositions of which tell visitors about pilotage, as well as show the life and culture of the townspeople in those times.

Today, everyone can come to the local history museum "Capital of Navigation Pilots", placed within the Myshkin National Museum, to learn about pilots' river routes in the 19th and 20th centuries, and to see wooden steering wheels, ancient anchors, and even ship's bells. The fascinating expositions of the museum introduce visitors not only to the history of the Myshkin pilots but also to other famous residents: leading writers and talented craftsmen, philanthropists and merchants, nobles and peasants who lived in Myshkin in the 17th-20th centuries.

The most noteworthy exhibits of the museum are the desk of Nikolay Nekrasov, the personal books of the Russian bibliophile Fyodor Opochinin, who gave name to the entire library in the merchant Chistov's estate, as well as the personal belongings of the brave naval commander Fyodor Ushakov. Besides, the museum displays the splendid collection of church utensils and sculptures, as well as the third largest collection of old spinning wheels in the number of exhibits in Russia.