The original Rossland Museum was established in 1954 in two small tooms in the Rossland Court House by the Rossland Rotary Club.

The present museum building was opened in 1967. The replica mine-shaft headframe in front of the museum entrance, and the building itself, simulate a typical mine headframe and its hoist-house. The two cable sheave-wheels on top of the headframe came from the Velvet Mine. The weather-vane above is from the Nickel Plate Mine compressor house.

To the left of the museum entrance is the doorway to the Visitor Centre where refreshments are available.