The article is devoted to the museum collections on the history of mining and metallurgy in the Altai in 18-19th centuries. Besides Altai museums there are the similar exponents in the museums of other regions: in the Polytechnical museum (Moscow), Mining museum of the St. Peterburg's state mining institute, the Kemerovo museum of region studies and in the Suzun museum of region studies (Novosibirsk district). Historical-technical collections include both original items (tools and wares), and models. The museum exponents demonstrate different problems: mining work, metal work, stone work and power engineering. The most famous and extended object is the model of the steam-engine by I.I. Polzunov.