Memorial Museum of M. Mametova
The Manshuk Mametova Memorial Museum is one of the key sites of Kazakhstan’s historical and cultural heritage. The idea of establishing the museum was initiated by the mother of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Manshuk Mametova - Amina Suleymenkzy. The museum is housed in a historic building where the Mametov family once lived, a place that also served as a gathering space for members of the scientific and artistic intelligentsia. This spiritual and intellectual environment significantly influenced the formation of Manshuk Mametova's character.
In 1932, following the establishment of the West Kazakhstan Region, Akhmet Mametov and Amina Suleymenkzy were invited to the city of Uralsk as highly qualified professionals and were appointed to leadership positions in the newly created sectors of education and healthcare. The state provided them with an official apartment at what is now 51 Narimanov Street - the current location of the Manshuk Mametova Memorial Museum. The Mametov family lived there from 1932 to 1934. During this time, Manshuk attended 3rd and 4th grades at School No. 4 in Uralsk under the guidance of her teacher Valentina Grigoryevna Zaitseva.
The museum was officially opened on June 3, 1982, during the IX Republican Youth Rally “In the Footsteps of Paternal Glory,” commemorating the 60th anniversary of Manshuk Mametova’s birth. The decision to open the museum was made in accordance with Resolution No. 359. It was established to preserve and honor the heroic legacy and life journey of Hero of the Soviet Union Manshuk Mametova.
The museum includes five main exhibition halls:
1. Introductory Hall - features the official decree conferring the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on Manshuk Mametova, signed on March 1, 1944, by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR at the Kremlin, and Resolution No. 200 dated June 3, 1944, signed by Zhumabay Shayakhmetov, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, and N. Babkin, Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Kazakh SSR.
2. The Mametov Family Hall - contains photographs, official documents, books authored by Akhmet Mametov and Amina Suleymenkzy, as well as personal belongings, letters, and photos of Manshuk (including scissors and a whip). Military uniforms of Major General Shakir Zheksenbaev and Hero of the Soviet Union Sadyk Zhaksygulov are also displayed, along with personal items from Manshuk's wartime comrades Sultan Zhienbaev and Azilkhan Nurshaikhov (such as a pen, glasses, books, and more).
3. The Memorial Hall - displays items once used by Manshuk and her family: a chair, a leather satchel, her mother’s samovar, and the ZINGER sewing machine used to make Manshuk’s clothing, as well as various kitchen and household utensils from the Mametov household. The exhibit recreates the family’s everyday atmosphere of the era.
4. The Art Hall - features the sculpture "Youth of Manshuk" by sculptor Ibragim Aidenov, the handwoven tapestry "Daughter of the Steppe" by Ayauly Zhamelova, and the graphic artwork "Reverence" by artist Bekzhan Zhumabayev. These pieces offer an artistic interpretation of Manshuk's heroism and leave a powerful emotional impact on visitors.
5. The Great Patriotic War Hall - presents a Mosin rifle, a Colt carbine, military honors, documents, and identification papers of the national heroine and military pilot Khiuaz Dospanova. Also on display are orders, medals, photographs, and documents of fellow soldiers from the Battle of Stalingrad. Shrapnel fragments from the Battle of Kursk and pieces of aerial bombs found in the Pskov Region (Novosokolniki area) and in the Bokey Orda District of West Kazakhstan (Shongai village) are also part of the exhibit.
A special feature of the museum is the Diorama Hall, where a historical reconstruction titled "The Eternal Feat of Manshuk" is presented using modern 3D technology. This multimedia installation vividly portrays Manshuk Mametova’s heroic journey and evokes a strong emotional response from visitors.
The Manshuk Mametova Memorial Museum stands as an important spiritual and cultural center that fosters patriotism, preserves historical memory, and serves as a symbol of heroism for future generations.