The museum is a research establishment for regional studies and history and is the most important museum of the region Upper Austria today. There are extensive collections, scientific documentation archives  and permanent such as temporary exhibitions concerning most areas of nature, culture and history of art.
As a part of the upper Austrian regional museum the museum in the castle of  Linz houses the exhibitions on cultural science. The exhibition gives an  insight into Upper Austria's  history of civilization, from the beginnings of human settlement up until the 20th century.