Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts

The Museum of the East is not only a large exhibition complex, but also a Research Institution. In the museum, on the basis of research departments, scientific work is being carried out on a comprehensive study of the artistic heritage, the current state and prospects for the development of the art and culture of the peoples of the East; scientific conferences and seminars, lectures and creative presentations are organized and held, at which orientalists, art historians, historians and archaeologists speak.

The museum actively replenishes its collections and also conducts active educational activities.  At lectures at the Museum of the East, visitors get acquainted with the basics of Oriental studies, art history, archeology, and study the ethnography of the peoples of the East.

The Museum has a large collection of numismatics, historical maps of the East, a scientific library, the funds of which contain rare, and sometimes the only publications on oriental art in Kazakhstan.

The beginning of the museum collection consisted of works donated by domestic artists. The collection contains about 100 items. Interesting examples of horse harness, national felt and woven carpets: syrmaks, tekemets, alasha carpets, made by both folk and modern craftsmen. The Kazakh jewelry art of folk craftsmen is widely represented in this section. The same section contains works by Kazakhstani masters: Sekenov Shalkar, Berik Alibay, Nurdambek Bekbolat.