Almaty Museum of Arts, a contemporary art institution established by Nurlan Smagulov, officially opened its doors in Almaty on September 12.

The museum attracted more than 14,000 visitors in its opening three days, among them 14 WWII veterans (or those with similar status), 16 people with disabilities, 770 pensioners, 432 preschool children, 84 members of large families, 1,325 students in grades K-12, and 2,178 college students.

Photo: "Qonaqtar" (Visitors) exhibition, Almaty Museum of Arts

The inaugural events featured the start of major exhibitions:

• "Qonaqtar"—an exhibition of Kazakh and Central Asian art from the museum's collection;
• "I Understand Everything"—the first retrospective of one of Kazakhstan's leading contemporary artists, Almagul Menlibayeva;
• Dedicated exhibition spaces featuring individual works by global art masters—Richard Serra, Bill Viola, Yayoi Kusama, and Anselm Kiefer;
• The unveiling of a sculpture by Alicja Kwade, created specifically for the museum and inspired by the Torysh Valley in Mangystau.

Sculptures by Jaume Plensa and Yinka Shonibare, also created specifically for Almaty, were previously installed on the museum grounds.

Photo: Anselm Kiefer "When These Writings Burn, They Will Finally Give a Little Light," Almaty Museum of Arts

 In addition to exhibitions, the opening program featured panel discussions, artist talks, performances, and film screenings. The open-air program included performances by ethno-folk ensemble "Arqaiym" and artist dudeontheguitar, with the museum's creative lab "Sheberkhana" providing art activities for all ages.

The opening of the Almaty Museum of Arts became a significant event in the city's cultural life. It was attended by over 100 international media representatives, along with more than 200 curators, artists, and museum professionals from around the world, including Jaume Plensa and Kira Perov, wife of Bill Viola.

"Art has played a huge role in my life, and I hope that Almaty Museum of Arts will give others the same sense of inspiration and belonging. The warm response from our first visitors confirms how important it is to create a place that both preserves the region's cultural heritage and opens a space for discussing its future. This reception motivates me and solidifies my faith that the museum will grow as a center for knowledge, exchange, and discovery," remarked Nurlan Smagulov.

Photo: Almagul Menlibayeva's exhibition "I Understand Everything," Almaty Museum of Arts

Today, the museum displays more than 300 works of art in diverse mediums, ranging from painting and drawings to photography, video, and installation art. Over 70% of the collection consists of works by iconic 20th-century Kazakh artists such as Zhanatay Shardenov, Tokbolat Toguzbaev, Maktum Kisamedin, and Shaimarden Sariyev. The collection also features pieces by leading Kazakh contemporary artists such as Rustam Khalfin, Saule Suleimenova, Said Atabekov, among others. The exhibitions will be regularly updated, introducing viewers to new works from the collection.

Almaty Museum of Arts is conceived as a dynamic cultural center with regularly rotating exhibitions, international projects, partnerships with leading institutions and curators, plus educational programs and workshops. Starting October 2025, the museum will commence its first research projects in cooperation with Tate Modern (London) and the Getty Foundation (Los Angeles).

General admission tickets cost 2,000 tenge, while concession tickets are 500 tenge. Selected categories of visitors are eligible for free admission. Detailed information about tickets and guided tours is available on the museum's official website.

Working schedule:

Tuesday through Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Monday: Closed

Address: Almaty, 28 Al-Farabi Street