In the autumn of 2025, an event took place in Almaty that cultural commentators called a new chapter in the history of not only the southern capital of Kazakhstan but the entire region: the Almaty Museum of Arts opened — the first and so far the only museum of contemporary art of international level in Central Asia.
How the Almaty Museum of Arts Was Created
The museum`s history began long before its opening. The founder is an entrepreneur and philanthropist Nurlan Smagulov, whose group of companies is known far beyond Kazakhstan. The idea of creating the museum was nurtured for more than 30 years, during which Smagulov and his wife Madina collected a collection of works of art.
Construction of the Almaty Museum of Arts began in 2022 at the intersection of Al-Farabi and Nazarbayev avenues — in one of the busiest and most prestigious districts of Almaty. According to architects, about 30 million dollars were invested in the construction of the building, and about 70 million dollars were spent on forming the collection and equipping the museum. The total budget of the project amounted to about 100 million dollars.
The museum opened its doors to visitors on September 12, 2025, becoming the largest contemporary art institution in Central Asia. On the opening day, guests from 30 countries arrived at the museum. The event made it into global rankings, including the top 10 most anticipated museum openings, alongside new institutions in France, America, and Japan.
A Building as a Work of Art
The museum building itself, with an area of over 10 thousand square meters, was designed by a British architectural bureau.
The architectural solution is built on the contrast of two elements. The building consists of two L-shaped volumes: one is clad in Jurassic-period limestone brought from Germany — it symbolizes the natural power of the Tien Shan mountains and the tranquility of nature. The other is covered with aluminum panels reflecting the dynamics of the modern city.
The main interior space of the museum is the Art Street atrium, covering more than 1100 square meters with 18-meter ceilings. Its light-filled forms and colors are inspired by the Charyn Canyon — this is not just a passage between halls but an independent artistic space, a place for meetings and dialogue.
On the ground floor there are spacious exhibition halls, as well as a library, a café, a souvenir shop, and a creative workshop. A professional storage facility and a restoration workshop are also provided.
The Collection of the Almaty Museum of Arts
The foundation of the collection is the founder`s personal collection, comprising over 700 works of art accumulated over three decades.
More than 70 percent of the collection consists of works by Kazakhstani artists of the 20th century and contemporaries: Zhanatai Shardenov, Tokbolat Toguzbaev, Maktum Kisamedin, Shaimardan Sariyev, Aisha Galimbayeva, Salikhitdin Aitbayev, Rustam Khalfin, Saule Suleymenova, Said Atabekov, Yevgeny Sidorkin. The collection also includes works by masters from Central Asia and other countries.
The museum also features key names in world contemporary art: Richard Serra, Yayoi Kusama, Anselm Kiefer, Bill Viola. Monumental sculptures by Jaume Plensa, Yinka Shonibare, and Alicia Kwade have been installed on the open grounds.
Exhibition Halls of the Almaty Museum of Arts
Hall "Uly Dala"
The main exhibition hall of the museum, covering more than 1000 square meters with 12-meter ceilings. The space allows for large-scale exhibitions, including major video installations and monumental works. This is where the most significant temporary exhibitions are held.
Hall "Saryarka"
A hall of 520 square meters, designed for thematic exhibitions from the museum`s collection. Exhibitions exploring various aspects of Kazakhstani and Central Asian art can also be housed here.
Halls of Artists
On the second floor of the museum are named halls dedicated to key figures in world contemporary art.
Richard Serra — "Crossroads"
A 550-square-meter hall houses the last major work of the American sculptor, who passed away in 2024. The installation of curved steel sheets, weighing a total of 155 tons, is a labyrinth through which visitors are invited to wander. The steel sheets were transported to Kazakhstan for six months, with more than a dozen trucks involved in the shipment.
Yayoi Kusama — "Love Is Calling"
In the hall of the Japanese artist is the famous "Infinity Room" — a mirrored space with glowing polka-dotted forms, accompanied by a poem recited by Kusama herself. This installation allows visitors to feel themselves inside an infinite cosmos.
Anselm Kiefer — "When These Writings Burn, at Last They Will Give a Little Light"
The monumental canvas by the German artist, combining painting and sculpture, was first presented at the Venice Biennale in 2022 — where the museum`s founder saw and acquired it. The work continues Kiefer`s characteristic theme of destruction and rebirth.
Bill Viola — "Stations"
The video art hall is dedicated to the American pioneer of this genre. The installation of five screens and granite slabs, inspired by Sufi philosophy, creates a meditative space for reflection. In July 2026, the museum presented the first retrospective of Bill Viola in Central Asia, "The Space of Time," featuring 18 works by the master created between 1977 and 2013.
Halls "Alatau" and "Al-Farabi"
Also located on the second floor are these exhibition spaces. The "Al-Farabi" hall, covering 180 square meters, is a transformable space that can be adapted for various formats — from intimate exhibitions to lectures and events.
Open Grounds of the Almaty Museum of Arts
Monumental sculptures created especially for the Almaty Museum of Arts have been installed on the museum`s grounds.
• "Nades" by Jaume Plensa — a 12-meter portrait of a girl with traditional Kazakh braids, installed right at the intersection of avenues. The sculpture quickly became a city landmark.
• "Wind Sculpture (TP) II" by Yinka Shonibare — an 8-meter structure resembling an inflated sail, hand-painted with bright patterns inspired by African fabrics.
• "Preposition" by Alicia Kwade — a composition of 16 massive stone spheres and a metal structure, inspired by the Torysh tract in Mangystau.
Exhibitions at the Almaty Museum of Arts
The museum opened with two major exhibitions.
"Konaktar" ("Guests")
This exhibition from the museum`s own collection is dedicated to the phenomenon of hospitality in Kazakhstan — from traditional celebrations to dramatic stories of resettlement and migration. The curator was a specialist invited from Latvia. The exhibition combines classic works by Aisha Galimbayeva and Salikhitdin Aitbayev with works by contemporary artists: Yerbosyn Meldibekov, Saule Suleymenova, and the Vorobyov duo. The exhibition will remain open until August 2027.
The second part of the exhibition opened in February 2026 — it shifts the focus to the geopolitical spaces and places of memory in Kazakhstan, including the video "Exodus," filmed among the ruins of Stalinist camps near Karaganda, and the work "Kurchatov 22," exploring the legacy of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
Retrospective of Almagul Menlibayeva "I Understand Everything"
The first personal retrospective of the Kazakhstani artist presented more than 30 years of her work — painting, video art, textiles, performances. The title refers to a painting of the same name from the late 1980s. The exhibition, curated by a specialist from Bangkok, explores themes of identity, feminism, and ecology. The exhibition ran until May 2026.
Bill Viola Retrospective "The Space of Time"
In July 2026, the museum presented the first retrospective in Central Asia of the video art classic Bill Viola. The exhibition of 18 works created between 1977 and 2013 was housed in the "Uly Dala" hall. The joint technical team of the museum and the artist`s studio built, over 40 days, a labyrinth of "installation rooms" and transitional spaces across an area of more than 1000 square meters, allowing visitors to slow down and fully immerse themselves in contemplation.
According to the museum`s founder, this event realizes the museum`s main idea — the integration of Kazakhstan into the global artistic context. Viola`s works, one of the most influential video artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, have been exhibited in the world`s largest museums but had never before been accessible in Central Asia.
The museum plans to hold at least two major exhibitions per year: one dedicated to Central Asian artists and themes close to the region, and another with an international institution to introduce the local audience to key works of contemporary foreign art. In May 2026, it was announced that the museum is considering the possibility of including in its exhibitions the large-scale felt installation by Kazakhstani artist Smail Bayaliyev, presented at the Venice Biennale.
The Almaty Museum of Arts is not just a museum but a cultural center where history is reflected upon, the present is discussed, and a vision for the future is shaped. As its founder said, the museum is conceived as a place of inspiration, dialogue, and reflection on the future.
