The Almaty Museum of Arts unveils the personal collection of its founder, Nurlan Smagulov. From his collection, 700 artworks from Kazakhstan have been selected for the museum’s collection.
The museum building, with an area of 10,000 m², was designed by the British architectural studio Chapman Taylor. On the first floor are spacious halls, including “Uly Dala” and “Saryarka”. One of the exhibits is dedicated to the works of the renowned artist Richard Serra. The Art Street atrium evokes the natural contours)of the Charyn Canyon. The museum also houses a modern storage facility, a restoration workshop, and the creative hub “Sheberkhana”. Visitors will also find a library, café, and museum shop.
The second floor is designated for exhibitions of contemporary masters such as Yayoi Kusama (Japan), Bill Viola (USA), Anselm Kiefer (Germany), and many others. The “Alatau” halls and the transformable space “Al-Farabi” are also located here.
Visitors can step out from the building into an open-air exhibition set within a landscaped green area. Sculptures, fountains, and leisure zones are displayed here, creating a harmonious environment for art and recreation.
Photo: Alexey Naroditsky
“Art has had a tremendous impact on my life, and I sincerely hope that the Almaty Museum of Arts will become a source of the same inspiration and sense of belonging for others,” shares Nurlan Smagulov, the museum’s founder, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
The Almaty Museum of Arts is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00 (last entry at 19:00), except Mondays.
Standard ticket price—2,000 KZT (~$3.69).
Published in Travel + Leisure Central Asia, Autumn 2025
