Founded in 1891, the first museum was arranged by gold miners in honor of the crown prince and soon-to-be tsar Nikolai’s (Nicholas II) visit. Kunst and Albers Trade Company built the current museum building. G. S. Novikov-Daursky worked at the museum for 34 years until 1961. The museum was dedicated in his name in 1993.
While this museum has provided the inspiration for the stories of Irina and Steve, I have no affiliation with it beyond being an admirer of how well they put together their displays and the type of technology available at the museum. Even as an English speaker with limited Russian, I am able to discern much of the information that the museum serves to hold. The mock-ups of early settler home and Fort Albazin are particularly impressive, as is one of the holograms the museum has on site.
Sources: http://www.russianmuseums.info/M917