Turkestan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore

The Turkestan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore is one of the oldest and largest museums in Kazakhstan. Established in 1920, the museum has spent decades systematically collecting, studying, and preserving the rich historical, cultural, archaeological, ethnographic, and natural heritage of Southern Kazakhstan. Over time, it has evolved into a leading scientific and cultural center of the region.

Originally, the museum operated as a pedagogical laboratory and educational museum under the Department of Public Education of the Syrdarya Province. Its main task was to provide urban schools with visual teaching aids. In 1925, under the leadership of M. E. Masson, the museum underwent reorganization, which gave it a new scientific impetus. From that point forward, it began operating in two main directions: the study of the region’s natural resource potential and the exploration of its historical and cultural heritage. Significant contributions to the museum’s scientific foundation were made by local historians and researchers such as B. P. Trizna, I. K. and T. Shpota, N. V. Rudnev, N. I. Meklenburcev, and M. A. Bykov. The museum staff organized and participated in expeditions exploring the region’s natural, archaeological, and ethnographic sites.

In 1938, the museum was transformed into the Regional Museum of History and Local Lore. During the Great Patriotic War, its focus shifted toward patriotic and military-historical education. In 1948-1949, museum staff took part in an archaeological expedition led by Dr. A. N. Bernshtam, and later, scientific collaborations were established with museums in Leningrad, the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR, and the Central Museum of Kazakhstan. In the following decades, the museum actively participated in archaeological research and excavations in key historical sites such as Otyrar, Kultobe, Altyntobe, Borizhar, Zhuzimdik, and others, significantly enriching its collections with unique artifacts.

In 2014, the museum moved to a new, modern building with a total area of 2,541.81 m², of which 1,060.12 m² is dedicated to exhibition halls. The exhibition is structured into four permanent halls:

1. Nature, Paleontology, and Archaeology - introduces the flora and fauna of Turkestan Region, along with fossil collections and archaeological discoveries that illustrate the development of life in the area from ancient times.

2. Ethnography - showcases the everyday life, traditional culture, national crafts, and spiritual heritage of the Kazakh people. A highlight of the exhibit is the nomadic yurt of renowned wrestler and athlete Qajymuqan Munaitpasuly, as well as numerous national costumes, ornaments, and household items.

3. Kazakh Khanate and Modernity - explores the formation of the Kazakh Khanate (15th-18th centuries), its political and cultural ties with the Khiva and Kokand Khanates, and the periods of subjugation under the Russian and Soviet empires in the 19th-20th centuries.

4. Independent Kazakhstan - is dedicated to the period from 1991 to the present, showcasing state symbols, the history of the national currency, the development of the armed forces, and the socio-economic growth of Turkestan Region.

The museum’s collection consists of more than 107,080 artifacts, spanning from the Stone Age to the modern era. All items have undergone scientific processing, are indexed, and officially catalogued.

The Turkestan Regional Museum also oversees seven branch museums:

1. The Literary and Cultural Museum of S. Yerubayev (Turkestan);

2. The Historical and Local History Museum of T. Ryskulov (Tulkibas District);

3. The "Ardakty Ana" Museum (Sairam District);

4. The Literary and Memorial Museum of Mіrtemir (Sauran District);

5. The "Shammat Ishan" Museum (village of Qarnak, an architectural monument of national significance);

6. The Saryagash District Museum;

7. The Shardara District Museum.

Located in the spiritual capital of the Turkic world - the city of Turkestan - the Turkestan Regional Museum of History and Local Lore plays a key role in the cultural and educational life of the region. It carries out the mission of preserving and popularizing historical heritage, fosters national consciousness and historical continuity among the younger generation, and serves as a bridge between the past and present of Kazakhstan.