Museum of Applied Arts named after Ұста Därkembay

The Darkembai Shokparuly Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts is an important cultural and educational institution in Kazakhstan, focused on collecting, researching, and popularizing both traditional and contemporary works of applied art. The museum was founded in 1962 in the native village of the master and was later named after the outstanding folk craftsman, ethnographer, educator, and researcher Darkembai Shokparuly. The total area of the building is 375 square meters, of which 210 square meters are allocated for exhibition halls. The museum consists of six exhibition rooms. Currently, the museum's collection contains 2,437 registered items. The exhibits are classified according to their content and structure. Firstly, they are categorized by the material used - including items made of wood, metal, leather, stone, and other natural materials. Secondly, they are classified by their functional purpose - such as musical instruments, jewelry, furniture, tableware, weapons, hunting gear, household tools, and equipment used for industrial processing.

The collections include not only original works by the master himself but also ethnographic objects collected by him. In addition, the museum's holdings preserve the scientific and pedagogical legacy of Darkembai Shokparuly: monographs, articles, interviews, manuscripts, as well as publications about him in newspapers and magazines, along with audio and video materials from radio and television broadcasts. All of these materials form the museum’s research archive.

The primary mission of the museum is the identification, collection, scholarly documentation, preservation, and wide promotion of samples of traditional Kazakh handicrafts and the applied arts of ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan, as well as examples of applied and visual arts from around the world. The museum's cultural and educational mission also includes organizing production-related activities, supporting artisans of applied arts, conducting master classes, and implementing museum-based educational programs.

The museum's exhibition offers deep insight into the traditions of Kazakh craftsmanship, its regional features, artistic styles, and cultural continuity. This institution stands as an important spiritual and cultural center, preserving the visual and material embodiment of the national heritage and passing it on to future generations.