Gobustan reserve that covers the area of Beyukdash, Kichikdash and Jingirdagh mountains was established with the aim of preservation of petroglyphs found in its territory in 1966. The petroglyphs were found by archaeologist Ishag Jafarzadeh in 1939. In 2007 Gobustan petroglyphs were inscribed in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.

More than 6000 petroglyphs that date back to the period since Upper Paleolith up to late Middle Ages, created in the course of about 20 000 years were discovered in Gobustan. At the result of archaeological excavations about 20 sites and 40 burial mounds were found in the reserve area. More than 100000 artefacts obtained during archaeological excavations are kept in the reserve funds.

In 2011 a new museum building was built and put into operation. In the museum one can get detailed information about the world rock art and Gobustan sites. The museum consists of 12 exhibition halls. In the museum equipped with touch screens and 3D elements one can get acquaintance with the world rock art, changes in the natural environment of Gobustan in the course of millenia, archaeological excavations that were held in the reserve, way of life of Stone Age people and their art, chronology and interpretation of Gobustan petroglyphs and so on.

Gobustan rock drawings differ by their thematic variety. These are mainly  images of men and women, oxen, aurochs, deer, gazelles, lions, boars and others. Also images of snakes, lizards, stars, swastikas, crosses, various damgas were also registered. At the same time one can also come across hunting and battle scenes.  

Images of women drawn in profile that date back to the end of Upper Paleolith are considered to be the most ancient ones in Gobustan. Also images of aurochs that are dated to the same period let us suggest their importance in the life of primitive people. Images of hunters armed with bows and arrows that date back to Mesolithic period, the image of domesticated ox dating back to Neolith, images of goats of the Bronze Age, all these are evidence of Gobustan havig been the habitat and centre of rock art in the course of millenia.

Along with these carvings there are inscriptions carved in Arabic alphabet, which refer to different periods of medieval history of Azerbaijan, and also ancient Latin inscription that witnesses the presence of the XII flash-like Roman legion here at the end of the I century.

Collective dance scenes dating back to Neolithic period and ancient musical instrument  Gavaldash is evidence to the existence of not only rock art but also music in Gobustan.