State Archaeological Museum-Reserve «otyrar» State Archaeological Museum-Reserve «Otyrar»
About the Museum
The museum was established on May 11, 1979, as the first institution in Kazakhstan dedicated to scientific research, cultural education, and the protection of archaeological and historical monuments. Since 1982, it has functioned as a museum-reserve safeguarding the historical monuments of the Otyrar region. Today, the museum is the sole institution in the Republic conducting archaeological research, excavations, and conservation and restoration works to preserve monuments. It also collects, studies, and preserves the ethnographic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of the Kazakh people.
The museum-reserve oversees 73 historical and cultural sites of local and republican significance, covering a total area of 11,000 hectares. Its collection comprises 24,825 artifacts.
Visitors to the Otyrar region can explore the museum’s exhibitions, the «Sapar» Cultural Center, the Arystanbab Mausoleum, and the open-air museum of Otyrar settlement. The «Sapar Center» of the Otyrar State Archaeological Museum-Reserve, located near the Otyrar settlement, was opened in 2019, with its exhibition hall completed in 2020. This unique center aims to become a hub of cultural tourism, promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Otyrar oasis both nationally and internationally.
The museum-reserve focuses on the protection and preservation of historical and cultural heritage sites within its territory and the development of a modern tourist center. Exhibition halls for incoming artifacts are located on the first and second floors (total area 492.24 m²). The first floor also features an 86-seat lecture hall with an auxiliary room. The first floor is designed to provide visitors with comfortable amenities, including rest areas, a children’s playground, and a coworking space.
The second floor presents artifacts from five stages of ancient Otyrar: II-VI centuries (formation of Otyrar), IX-XII centuries (Otyrar’s flourishing), XIII century (Otyrar disaster), XIV century (rebuilding of Otyrar), and the period of the Kazakh Khanate. Following the presidential decree on the 1150th anniversary of Al-Farabi, a dedicated hall on the great scholar has been opened. The thematic exhibition «The Legacy of the Great Teacher» features Al-Farabi’s contributions to science and art, artifacts related to the development of science, culture, and art in Otyrar, and scholarly works of Farabi researchers.
The basement houses the storage fund, equipped with specialized museum shelves and cabinets. Workspaces for staff responsible for cataloging incoming materials, workshops for restoration and exhibition design, and a 16-bed dormitory for museum specialists and archaeologists excavating Otyrar are also provided (building area: 519 m², fully furnished).
Otyrar, known as the golden cradle of Kazakh civilization, attracts increasing numbers of scholars and travelers each year. In the future, the museum plans to incorporate nine tourist sites along the Great Silk Road.
The museum’s mission is to preserve, systematize scientifically, and pass on to humanity the invaluable historical and cultural heritage of the Otyrar region, reflecting its deep history and rich cultural traditions.
