Spotted by Locals x Almaty

Welcome to part two of our guide to Almaty! Building on our fruitful collaboration between the Almaty Tourism Bureau and Spotted by Locals, we’re excited to continue sharing the city’s hidden gems. This edition dives into Almaty’s vibrant museum scene with a special museum guide, curated from our Spotters’ top recommendations.

Almaty’s museum scene has flourished over the past few years. Just this September, two major museums opened their doors to audiences hungry for culture. In this article, we highlight some of the most inspiring and thought-provoking museums and galleries in Almaty, with the invaluable help of our local Spotters. We can’t wait to share our selection with you!

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Museum Scene in Almaty

Modern & Contemporary Art Museums

Almaty Museum of Arts

The Almaty Museum of Arts opened this September and is set to become a landmark for contemporary art in Kazakhstan. The museum curates both local and international works in a new and innovative architectural setting. Besides Smagulov’s 700+ modern Kazakh pieces, visitors can explore its focus on experimentation and dialogue across Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and beyond. It also hosts rotating exhibits, large installations, and spaces for artists and events.

As our Spotter, Zhazira, described her experience at the museum: ‘One of the most impressive names I came across there is Almagul Menlibayeva. If I were to compare her to anyone, I’d say she’s the Marina Abramović of Kazakhstan — bold, authentic, and fearless. Her work goes far beyond aesthetics, addressing pressing issues such as environmental concerns, social challenges in Kazakh society, and the nuances of local mentality. It’s powerful and thought-provoking.’

Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture

Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Kairat Boranbayev, the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture is Kazakhstan’s first private cultural institution and one of the key platforms for art and critical thinking in Almaty. Tselinny Centre is bringing together artists, theorists and scholars. It builds dialogue ‘within Kazakhstani latitude and the wider Central Asian perspective.‘

The Center relocated in September to its historic Tselinny cinema, redesigned by British architect Asif Khan and a local team. Tselinny focuses on artistic practice (Here) and research (Now), exploring themes like gender, faith, and ecology. It continues to shape a regional conversation about contemporary culture and its future.

A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts

Founded in 1935 and named after celebrated painter Abilkhan Kasteyev, the museum has long been a hub for cultural learning and inspiration. Visitors can expect carefully curated exhibitions, monumental works, and rotating displays highlighting both historical and modern perspectives. The Kasteyev Museum, while rooted in tradition, was among the first in Almaty to showcase and support modern Kazakh art.

The museum introduces the country’s rich visual heritage. Its collection spans traditional Kazakh art, Soviet-era pieces, and contemporary creations, offering a comprehensive journey through the region’s artistic evolution.

Exploring Almaty Through Galleries

Aspan Gallery — Almaty’s Modern Pulse

If you’re craving something more contemporary, this section deserves your attention. Aspan Gallery is tucked right next to Esentai Towers, it’s a tiny but vibrant space dedicated to modern Kazakhstani art. It gives a platform to new voices and experimental forms such as photography, installations, and video art. There’s always something unexpected.

A short 15-minute walk away, find Esentai Gallery, another small yet thoughtfully curated space that feels almost like a sibling to Aspan Gallery, as both are intimate, bold, and reflective of today’s artistic currents.

Essentai Gallery — Art & creative events

Esentai Gallery is hidden on Al-Farabi Street. It’s a small gallery, but full of life. They host sketching sessions, art networking nights, artist talks, interactive workshops, and countless exhibitions. There’s always something happening, and it draws a surprisingly diverse, curious, and creative crowd.

It’s generally a very welcoming place. You don’t have to be an art expert. Whether you’re just looking for inspiration or want to chat with local artists, this is the place. The exhibitions are often bold and contemporary. This is the place for people looking for fresh, thought-provoking art in Kazakhstan’s art scene.

Art Lane

Art Lane‘s community holds small exhibitions and gives weekly lectures on architecture and culture. As our Spotter, Fariza described: Certain places in Almaty feel more like a waking dream than reality, and Art Lane is precisely one of them. This is not merely a gallery but a magical art garden where you can quite happily lose yourself.

The main treasure is in the gallery hall with a splendid collection of books. At times, the quiet space comes alive with baroque music or rare films, making its magic feel tangibly real. The gallery building itself was once the home of Bauyrzhan Momyshuly, a legendary Kazakh hero of the Second World War and one of the most significant figures of the 20th century.

101 Dump Gallery — Art Basement: Gallery, Bar, Shop

Right next to the Batyrkhan Shukenov Wall, one can descend into a basement that holds one of the warmest and most special places for Almaty’s creative people: the 101 Dump Gallery. It is a true labyrinth of delights. The heart of this place is the gallery space itself. Here you will find fascinating exhibitions of underground art, lectures, and performances, bringing together the city’s boldest and most unconventional artists and thinkers.

This is not just a gallery, but a living organism, a true refuge created with soul for those who seek something more than just beautiful walls.

Korkem Almaty

Here, the exhibitions are always thoughtfully curated, offering a fascinating insight into the themes, styles, and ideas animating the country’s contemporary art scene. A visit here is always an education and a visual treat. It’s an essential stop for anyone interested in understanding the modern artistic soul of Kazakhstan.

Korkem Store is a jewellery and accessories store. The artists here delve deep into the rich soil of history, drawing inspiration from the powerful symbols of ancient Saka and nomadic cultures. This space is constantly transforming itself, like a stage for new stories. It is a living gallery where history is not just remembered, but is always being told in new and beautiful ways.

+1 Hidden Spot: Yandex Museum Almaty

Are you a fan of classic video games on vintage consoles, or passionate about old computers? Step into a world of nostalgia at Yandex Museum in Almaty, where you’ll find everything from the legendary Atari, Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis to the very first Macintosh and more.

Despite being relatively small (a single room), Almaty’s Yandex Museum boasts a wide collection of retro computers, classic consoles from ZX Spectrum to Sega Dreamcast, a couple of arcade machines, and Yandex. You can play on any console or try working on a computer. The friendly staff will be happy to answer your questions about the showpieces, the development of computers and consoles, and the history of Yandex company dating back to the 1990s. — Recommendation and pictures: Muslim Sattarov

Art Beyond Walls

Almaty’s museum scene holds a wide range of treasures for art lovers, including the Museum of Almaty and the Central State Museum. But art and culture in Almaty are not to be confined to white walls, museums or galleries only; they extend across time and space and are present in hidden corners of the city, waiting to be discovered.

Lastly, here is a curated list of spots by which you get a closer sense of art and culture in Almaty; its streets, monuments, cultural hubs and quirky, unexpected gems.