Akhmet Baitursynuly Museum-House

In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Protection and Use of Historical and Cultural Heritage” dated September 18, 1992, the akim of the city issued Resolution No. 413 “On accepting the proposal of the city Department of Culture and the Chief Directorate of Architecture, agreed with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to include in the State List of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Local Significance of the city of Almaty the premises No. 60 on Kosmonavt Street, which is a historical and architectural monument of the early 20th century.”

As a result of the search efforts of Sholpan Akhmetovna, Gulnar Mirzhakypovna, and the sisters Danabike and Kunimzhan Baikadamova, as well as scholars of Akhmet studies, the discovery of the house in which A. Baitursynuly lived became a historical event.

The creation of the discovered house as a museum took place on September 9, 1993, based on Resolution No. 360 of the akim of the city Z. Nurkadilov “On the organization of the House-Museum of the Kazakh national enlightener A. Baitursynuly.” A minor renovation of the dilapidated house was carried out.

By Resolution No. 78 dated February 18, 1993, the street Kosmonavt (length - 4,450 meters) was renamed in honor of A. Baitursynuly.

“In recognition of his contributions to the formation of Kazakh statehood and in connection with the 125th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding enlightener, scholar, statesman and public figure A. Baitursynuly,” the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan adopted Resolution No. 150 dated February 4, 1997. As part of this resolution, a major renovation of the house-museum was carried out, and on September 12, 1998, the ceremonial opening of the A. Baitursynuly House-Museum and the bust of the scholar took place. Since October 13, 2021, the museum has been part of the State Communal Government Enterprise “Association of Museums of the City of Almaty.”

Total museum area:

The House-Museum is located at: Almaty, Almaly district, A. Baitursynuly Street, house No. 60 (corner of Zhambyl). The building’s area is 160 square meters. The certificate of ownership and the right to permanent land use covers 0.1559 hectares.

Number of items in the collection:

There are 308 storage units in the collection. 

Museum halls:

In Hall I “The Great Soul of the National Spirit,” copies of the decision of the Judicial Board of the Supreme Court of the Kazakh SSR on criminal cases concerning A. Baitursynuly dated November 4, 1988, and the “Conclusion of the Commission for the Study of the Creative Heritage of Magzhan Zhumabayev, Akhmet Baitursynuly, and Zhusupbek Aimauytov” dated February 26, 1990, are exhibited.

Also presented are documents regarding the acquittal of A. Baitursynuly, his wife Badrisafa, and daughter Sholpan, archival documents, and photographs of the family. This hall features a portrait of A. Baitursynuly painted by artist B. Myrzakhmetov in 2006.

Republished selected works and multivolume scholarly works of the scholar are presented, including individual and collective academic research dedicated to his legacy and studies by foreign researchers.

Displayed in honor of A. Baitursynuly are awards, medals, and souvenirs specially released for the anniversaries of the figure. Additionally, government decrees, resolutions, and orders are grouped together. The hall’s wall is decorated with quotes from the “Teacher of the Nation.”

Hall II “Beacon of Kazakh Consciousness” is dedicated to the life of the figure from childhood to wisdom. It describes his origins, birthplace, and schools of A. Baitursynuly, as well as his fight for enlightenment. The hall showcases the periods of the historical figure’s life in the cities of Omsk, Karkaraly, Semey, Orenburg, Kyzylorda, and Almaty under the Tsarist and Soviet regimes, his public and governmental activities, the publication of the “Kazakh” newspaper, the creation of the “Alash” party and the “Alash-Orda” government, his contributions to the Kazakh Revolutionary Committee and national education, his letter to Lenin, and handwritten biographical and personal documents from the archive of KazPI.

Also on display are language textbooks: “Language as a Tool,” “Bayanshy,” “Primer for Illiterate Adults,” “Alippe: A New Tool,” and literary works: “Forty Examples,” “The Mosquito,” “Textbook: Kazakh Alphabet,” “On Literary Studies,” a mockup of the unpublished book “History of Culture,” and a Kazakh alphabet chart.

Household items belonging to B. Baitursynkelina are displayed: a samovar, a brass plate, silver spoons, a brass jug, a brass basin, a family chest, and Baitursynuly’s suitcase.

In the “Last Verdict” corner are the prisoner’s questionnaire, arrest warrant, prison photo, fingerprint card, execution protocol, and death certificate.

Hall III “The Study of the National Teacher” is equipped as A. Baitursynuly’s work office. On the bookshelf are mockups of books published during his lifetime, an inkwell, stamp, and pen.

In the background of the figure of A. Baitursynuly, his desk displays mock editions of the newspaper “Kazakh,” the magazine “Aikap,” and a duplicate of the book “Alippe,” as well as a typewriter.

In the display case are a dombra played by Akhmet himself, the kui “Arman” that reveals his talent as a composer, a sheet music collection of his songs, a qyl-qobyz, a violin, a traveling bag, and a phonograph. Also on display are a harmonium, a gift from descendants of A. Baitursynuly’s sister Zilyash, a desk clock inherited from Sh. Akhmetkyzy, and the “Talisman” presented by President K.K. Tokayev in honor of the 150th anniversary of the scholar.

An educational lecture hall of the “Akhmettanu” Educational Center is equipped. The center coordinates research on the scholar’s heritage and the portraits of the leaders of Alash, organizes traveling and virtual exhibitions, provides internships to students of specialized and higher (university) schools under contract, and supports their professional development.

It has become a tradition at the house-museum to hold the annual readings “Tribute to the Legacy of the Great Figures” on September 5, the scholar’s birthday, to eternally commemorate the names of A. Baitursynuly and his contemporaries.

Potential of the modern museum:

Detailed information about the A. Baitursynuly House-Museum can be obtained through an information kiosk and an audio guide available in three languages (Kazakh, Russian, and English). A QR code is also available in Turkish and Chinese.