ASTANA – Minister of Culture of Kazakhstan Arystanbek Mukhamediuly reported that the new National Museum in Astana will open on July 6, Astana Day, at a May 27 Central Communications Service (CCS) briefing.
“I am very pleased to announce that on July 6, we will mark a very important event, the opening of one of the largest museums in the world – the National Museum. By the instruction of the President, the Ministry of Culture has centralised all regional museums into one; the National Museum will serve as the central element. It will be one of the largest in the world, not only in size, but also in regard to content. The museum will include 14 rooms. Twelve of them are ready for operation,” Mukhamediuly said.
According to the minister, the museum will house artefacts from ancient cultures as well as the 15th-17th centuries, and the Sakas and Huns will have a special place among the exhibits. “The exhibition will also show Kazakhstan’s modern achievements, including those in sport,” he added.
Scientists and specialists from the National Museum of Kazakhstan are putting the exhibits together. Specialised South Korean company BeART, which has developed a conceptual architectural design for the museum, is equipping the museum and its exhibits with modern technologies.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the museum will accommodate several expositions, including the Museum of Astana, the Independent Kazakhstan Museum, the History Museum, the Museum of Gold and Precious Metals and the Museum of Modern Art. Space for a children’s museum, temporary exhibitions, restoration workshops, laboratories, storage facilities and collection rooms, as well as a library with a reading room, an internet cafe and souvenir stalls, is also planned.
Construction of the museum is being financed by KazMunayGas national oil and gas company. Turkish company Turkuaz Construction is the project’s general contractor.
According to rules approved by a Kazakh government decree of April 20, 2009, visiting national public institutions, including museums, is free of charge.
