The State Historical, cultural and Literary Memorial Museum-Reserve of Abai “Zhidebai-Borili”
The State Historical, Cultural, and Literary-Memorial Reserve-Museum "Zhidebai-Borili" named after Abai is a fundamental cultural and educational institution whose mission is the preservation, study, and popularization of the life and creative legacy of the great Kazakh poet, educator, thinker, and public figure Abai Kunanbayuly. The museum-reserve systematically carries out work on the preservation of historical and literary-cultural monuments, their scholarly research, and broad public dissemination.
The institution was established by a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the Kazakh SSR on April 1, 1940, in honor of the 95th anniversary of Abai’s birth, and officially opened its doors to visitors on October 16 of the same year. It was the first cultural institution in Kazakhstan’s history to be granted the status of a literary-memorial museum. Initially, the museum was located in the houses where the poet had temporarily stayed during his visits to the city of Semey - the house of Bekbai Baiysov (now Zhamakaev Street, formerly Abai Street, 83) and the house of Erkin Moldabaev (now Bogenbai Batyr Street, formerly Komissarov Street, 132). Since 1967, the museum has operated in the historically significant building of merchant Roman Ershov.
From 1947 to 1951, the museum functioned under the structure of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. On April 5, 1990, by Resolution No. 141 of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR, the institution was reorganized into the State Historical, Cultural, and Literary-Memorial Reserve-Museum named after Abai. This decision was directly related to the large-scale scientific and cultural preparations for the 150th anniversary of Abai Kunanbayuly’s birth.
Today, the museum-reserve consists of the central complex in the city of Semey and several regional branches. The urban complex includes the Main Museum, the Ahmet Riza Mosque-Madrasah, and the administrative building. The museum complex also includes: the Abai House-Museum in Zhidebai, the Mukhtar Auezov House-Museum in Borili, the “Shakarim’s Hunting Lodge” exhibition, the “Abai - Shakarim” Memorial Complex, a 6,400-hectare protected zone, the Kokbai Zhanataev Museum (located in Taqyr), as well as the Shakir Abenov House-Museum in the village of Kundyzdy in the Abai District and the Asad Naimanbaev Museum in the village of Makanshy in the Urzhar District.
This cultural institution goes beyond traditional museum functions, actively engaging in scientific research, expeditions, educational and outreach activities. It plays an important role in the international promotion of Abai's legacy and in passing down spiritual and cultural values to younger generations. The museum-reserve holds special significance as a major center of national spirituality and historical memory of the Republic of Kazakhstan