Discover The Secret Legacy Behind The National Museum Of The Republic Of Kazakhstan

From the pickled innards of a 4th-century-B.C. horse to the ceremonial vestments of an ancient Saka “Gold Warrior,” discover the story behind some of the world’s best preserved relics of ancient nomadic culture.

Kazakhstan’s National Museum, built only in 2014, sprawls its unique treasures over an epic nine floors and 74,000 square meters, and Madiyar Shakiyev, our guide, takes us on an exclusive behind the scenes tour.

Its rich historical legacy is heralded from the moment you step inside the grandiose entry hall, where a giant golden eagle soars over a vast map of the world’s largest land-locked country.

It’s a legacy that spans centuries from the Stone age, charting everything from the post-Mongol rise and decay of the Kazakh Khanate, and the colonial policy of the Russian empire to the national liberation struggle against the Tsarist regime.

As we weave through the Hall of Ethnography with its rich collection of nomadic objects, reams of unique pottery masterpieces, military art, and jewelry worn by the ancient Saka peoples, the scope of treasures on display seems almost unbelievable.

But these artifacts are just building up the history-lover’s appetite for the ultimate gem of this museum, the Golden Hall, gleaming with rows of mainly original pure gold artifacts.

Not only does the Golden Hall boast an impressive collection of real Kazakh pure gold jewelry, but also ceremonial vestments of the Saka “Gold Warrior” from the 3rd/4th-century and thousands of rare Bronze Age ornaments.

These findings are complemented by replicas from the Scythian burial mounds at Berel, the Issyk burial mound where the Golden Man was found, and a bejeweled replica of a horse from the Berel tomb. It’s a spectacle of glorious beauty.

The display harks back to when 13 horses were found in a burial mound with all the equipment and harnesses, along with jewels made from wood saved in a condition museums can usually only wish for.

“The Altai is the ideal location for creating eternal preservation,” explains Shakiyev, referencing the mountainous climate where temperatures regularly plummet to as less as -50 °C (-58 °F) during winter.

“Thanks to the ice, artifacts like the wooden jewelry and the golden artifacts, also the decorative horse equipment, have managed to be preserved. This makes them all incredibly special.”

What’s interesting is that not only were many of the relics fished out from the frozen earth, but the wealth of this collection largely owes itself to chance. Shakiyev tells us that several of the 7th/8th century gems were simply stumbled across by children when playing next to the mountain rivers (once the preserving ice had melted).

“The Hall of Gold is one of the most special exhibits, in my opinion. After gaining independence in 1991, the golden man became one of the symbols of Kazakhstan. The first finding of the golden pieces demonstrate the amazing craft and skill of the time.”

The territory of Kazakhstan is so huge and far-reaching, stretching across an unbelievable 2,724,900 square kilometers (1,052,100 square miles), that it is simply not possible to embark on a full excavation dig. In fact, it is the world’s largest landlocked country, meaning that undoubtedly, there remain endless treasures to be discovered.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.