A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts
A. Kasteyev Museum of Arts, named in honor of Kazakhstani painter Abylkhan Kasteyev, was established in 1935. It has since grown into the largest art museum in the country, boasting a priceless collection of over 25,000 pieces. The museum's exhibits showcase not only the artistic treasures of Kazakhstan, but also those from Russia, Western Europe, and the East.
The European exposition is especially impressive, featuring works by renowned masters from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and England. Visitors can marvel at Rembrandt's etching, as well as pieces by Albrecht Dürer, Sébastien Bourdon, Martin Schongauer, Frans Hals the Elder, Gaspard Dughet, Charles-François Daubigny, Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Frans Pourbus the Younger, and sculptures by Antoine Coysevox and Jean-Antoine Houdon.
The collection of Russian art from the 18th to 20th centuries is equally captivating, with works by Ivan Aivazovsky, Vasily Vereshchagin, Vasily Tropinin, Isaac Levitan, Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin, Ilya Repin, Ivan Shishkin, Alexei Savrasov, Viktor Borisov-Musatov, Boris Kustodiev, and many others.
Soviet period masterpieces also adorn the museum's walls, including those by Konstantin Yuon, Pyotr Konchalovsky, Pavel Korin, Isaac Brodsky, and Alexander Deineka, among others.
The museum also boasts an extensive collection of fine and applied arts from Kazakhstan, including a vast array of felt, pile carpets, leather, and wood products. The works of Kazakhstani masters like Avram Cherkassky, Nikolai Khludov, Sergei Kalmykov, Moldakhmet Kenbayev, Aisha Galimbayeva, and Khakimzhan Nauruzbayev are particularly noteworthy.
The museum's Eastward-facing exhibits are also quite impressive, featuring household items from India, China, Korea, and Japan. All in all, the Abylkhan Kasteyev Museum is an artistic treasure trove, offering visitors a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of Kazakhstan and beyond.
Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Monday is a day off.
How to get there?
Address: Almaty, 22/1 Koktem-3 microdistrict.
The museum can be reached by buses #95, 121 or trolleybus #6. The nearest subway station is called “Mukhtar Auezov Theatre.”