Major new arts museum to open in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2025

Kazakh automotive magnate, philanthropist and avid art enthusiast Nurlan Smagulov has built up a collection of over 700 artworks: from seminal Kazakh and Central Asian artists including Almagul Menlibayeva and Shaimardan Sariyev to acclaimed international figures like Alicja Kwade, Yinka Shonibare and Richard Serra. Soon this artistic bounty will be on show to the public at Almaty Museum of Arts, and belong to the city itself.

Set to be the first museum of its kind in the region, Almaty Museum of Arts will focus on presenting and preserving modern and contemporary art from Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The museum and its collection will be gifted to the city of Almaty – Kazakhstan’s largest metropolis and former capital, and Smagulov’s hometown.

Led by Artistic Director Meruyert Kaliyeva (founder of Almaty’s Aspan Gallery) and Chief Curator Inga Lāce (formerly of the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art), the museum will present works from the region and beyond in a 9,400-square-metre building designed by British architects Chapman Taylor.

In addition to showcasing the collection – which will continue to expand – a key focus of the museum is to strengthen local artistic infrastructures, while providing a platform for dialogue between Central Asian art and the global art scene.

“We are here to celebrate the voices, visions, and histories of artists from Kazakhstan and beyond, providing a vibrant platform for further study and appreciation of contemporary art in the region,” Kaliyeva says. “We aim to inspire curiosity, dialogue, and a deeper understanding of the artistic heritage and contemporary expressions that shape and reflect Central Asia’s cultural landscape.”

The museum will open with two exhibitions: a solo show by Kazakh artist Almagul Menlibayeva titled ‘I Understand Everything’, curated by Thai curator Gridthiya Gaweewong; and ‘Qonaqtar’,  a group exhibition curated by Inga Lāce that draws from the museum’s collection to explore the connections and tensions between hospitality and migration.

“Art has the power to transform lives, and it once transformed mine. For me, Almaty Museum of Arts is not just a museum; it serves as a bridge that connects Central Asia’s vibrant and diverse art with the global cultural scene,” Smagulov says of the upcoming museum. “Our mission is to create an inspiring space where both the people of Kazakhstan and international visitors can experience contemporary art that resonates with universal human experiences, while also showcasing the distinctive cultural voices of our region.”

Almaty Museum of Artsis set to open in summer 2025.