Karmakshinsky District Historical and Local Lore Museum

The Karmakshy District Local History Museum, a branch of the Kyzylorda Regional Museum of History and Local Lore, is a scientific and cultural institution dedicated to the collection, preservation, academic study, and wide promotion of the historical and cultural heritage of the Karmakshy region. Operating in accordance with the Cultural Policy Concept of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the museum aims to provide a systematic and scholarly presentation of the archaeological, ethnographic, natural, and socio-economic development processes of Karmakshy District.

The museum was established by Resolution No. 704 of the Akimat (district administration) of Karmakshy on April 27, 2015, as a state communal treasury enterprise within the structure of the Department of Culture and Language Development of Karmakshy District. In September of the same year, the museum was relocated to a newly constructed, purpose-built building and began full-fledged exhibition activities.

The total area of the museum is 605.4 square meters, including a 313 sq.m exhibition hall and a 190 sq.m storage facility. As of today, the museum collection contains 6,196 items.

The museum consists of several exhibition halls, the most prominent of which is:

The Hall of "History of Karmakshy District" - This hall presents thematic sections that chronicle the main historical stages of the district:

"Early Researchers" - information about Russian scientists A.I. Butakov, S.S. Neustroev, G.V. Nikolsky, and A.I. Maksheev, who were among the first to study the Syr Darya region;

"Nature" and "Archaeology" - exhibits reflecting the region’s natural features and archaeological findings.

Additional thematic sections include: Ethnography, Maral Ishan, The Great Patriotic War, Zhosaly Mechanical Plant, Culture, Sports, Education, Healthcare, Agriculture, Traditional Poets (Zhyrau), Baikonur Cosmodrome, and Independent Kazakhstan.

The exhibition includes valuable historical and cultural objects such as:

• Ancient settlements of Shirik-Rabat, Babish Mola, and Balandy, dating back to the Saka period;

• Monuments of the Zhetyasar culture: Altynasar, Kosasar, Tikasar, Tompakasar, and others;

• Medieval architectural monuments: Syrlytam Mausoleum, Elaman Tower, mosques of Maral Ishan and Kalkai Ishan, Korkyt Ata Mausoleum;

• A copy of the "Shahnameh" epic by poet Turmagambet Iztiluev;

• Household items imported from Russia through trade in the 20th century.

Exhibition "Independent Kazakhstan" - This section features the national symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan - the Flag, Emblem, and Anthem, along with Karmakshy District’s achievements across various sectors since independence. The exhibition also includes scale models of the Korkyt Ata Memorial Complex and the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The museum actively participates in archaeological research. In cooperation with scholars from the A.Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology (Almaty) and the Archaeology and Ethnography Research Center at Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University, excavations are conducted at historical and cultural heritage sites in the Karmakshy District. Artifacts unearthed during these excavations are added to the museum’s collection as part of the national cultural heritage and are displayed in the permanent exhibition.