In 1880, Aivazovsky added an art gallery to his workshop, the official opening of which was timed to coincide with the artist's birthday and took place on July 29. It was the first peripheral art gallery in Russia, which enjoyed great fame even during the life of the marine painter. The collection of paintings in it was constantly changing, as the artist's works were sent to exhibitions and never returned. Their place was taken by new ones, just written. Here, on a specially built stage, many musicians performed, among them the famous pianist A. Rubinstein and composer A. Spendiarov, actors of the Mariinsky and Alexandria theaters of St. Petersburg M. and N. Figner and K. Varlamov, an Armenian artist tragedian Petros Adamyan and violinist Hovhannes Nalbandyan.

Already at that time, the Aivazovsky Gallery was the center of artistic, musical and theatrical art in the city. These traditions live on to this day.
After the death of I. K. Aivazovsky, his art gallery becomes the property of the city. The painter’s spiritual testament says: “... My sincere desire that the building of my art gallery and the city of Feodosia, with all the paintings, statues and other works of art in this gallery, be the full property of the city of Feodosia, and in memory of me , Aivazovsky, I bequeath the gallery to the city of Feodosia, my hometown ... "