The Almaty Museum of Arts

The Almaty Museum of Arts and why our city is one of the cultural capitals of Asia

Almaty, my hometown, has always been regarded as the cultural capital of both Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Now, citizens of Kazakhstan and the world are about to be blessed with the long-awaited opening of one of the most ambitious museum projects in the region: the Almaty Museum of Arts.

Designed by the internationally renowned architecture firm Chapman Taylor, the global media has already signaled this project as one of the world’s cultural landmarks for 2025.

The museum is the result of the imagination, ambition, and generosity of businessmen Nurlan Smagulov and Kairat Boranbayev (good luck on your match against Real Madrid!)

The Almaty Museum of Arts houses an impressive collection of more than seven hundred works by Kazakh and international artists. A major opportunity for researchers and aficionados of modern Kazakh art and supports the global recognition of our country’s cultural heritage.

It will mark a turning point in how we, as Kazakhs, approach art, and especially contemporary art. Kairat and Nurlan have created an outstanding public space, at the level of the any European or American leading museums.

At the core of the museum is Nurlan’s private collection, one of the most important in the region, built with exquisite taste and unparalleled knowledge of the arts.

His commitment to cultural and social progress is also evident in the work of the Nurlan Smagulov Foundation, established in 2020 to support educational and social initiatives across the country. The museum now stands as both his legacy for our people and a new beginning for the arts in Kazakhstan and across the region.

He is a businessman Kazakhs can be proud of.

Tomorrow, September 12, 2025, the Almaty Museum of Arts officially opens its doors. This is an ocassion you cannot miss. We very much suggest you have time to visit it.