Military History Museum
The Military History Museum in Astana is housed in a striking blue-and-white building situated at the junction of Respublika Avenue and Barayev Street, in a bustling area of the city.
The museum's collection is spread across several halls and comprises over 6,000 exhibits, offering visitors a comprehensive insight into the military history of Kazakhstan.
The «Ancient History – 19th Century» hall provides an overview of the evolution of weapons since ancient times. It features a fascinating display of ancient weapons, armor, and equipment, including some from the Stone Age. All the archaeological finds exhibited in this hall were discovered in Kazakhstan.
The «Weapons of the 20-21st Centuries» hall showcases various types of modern weapons, such as handguns, machine guns, and rifles, along with ammunition and aircraft weapons from the last century.
The «Military History of the 20th Century» hall delves into some of the most significant moments of the 20th century. It offers insights into Alash Orda, a self-proclaimed Kazakh state that existed during 1917-20s. The hall also features a dedicated exhibition on WWII and Kazakhstan's contribution to the war in Afghanistan. The hall also showcases the personal belongings of Ivan Panfilov, a Hero of the Soviet Union who led the 316th Rifle Division during the defense of Moscow. The division was mostly composed of Kazakhs, and the last 28 soldiers under his command destroyed eighteen enemy tanks before succumbing to the battle. The «Wall of Memory» is another poignant feature of this hall, projecting the names of the holders of the Orders of Glory, Heroes of the USSR, and holders of Kazakhstan's highest state award, «People's Hero».
The «Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan» hall is dedicated to educating visitors about the air defense, ground forces, and navy of the Kazakh army. It showcases military uniforms, weapons, and awards of the Kazakh army throughout history. The hall features detailed models of military aircraft, helicopters, ships, and tanks.
The «Fine Arts» hall displays sculptures and graphic images of military conflicts from past years, including portraits of Manshuk Mametova, the first Kazakh woman who was awarded the title of Hero of the USSR for killing over 70 enemies single-handedly during the Second World War, and Aliya Moldagulova, a sniper during WWII who died of wounds after hand-to-hand combat with the German forces.
In addition to the indoor exhibits, the museum offers an open-air exhibition of various military equipment, including anti-aircraft guns, armored personnel carriers, and tanks. Many of the exhibits have participated in real combat operations.
Lastly, visitors can see the personal belongings of Kazakh cosmonauts Talgat Musabayev and Aidyn Aimbetov, as well as the flag of the Air Force of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which circled the planet over 150 times with these cosmonauts. The museum is open every day except for Mondays and is free to visit.
How to get there?
Address: 2 Respublika Ave.
The Military History Museum is easily accessible by public transportation. Several bus routes, including #1, 2, 3, 10, 20, 23, 25, 31, 32, 37, 45, and 52, have a stop at the «Samal Microdistrict» bus stop, the closest to the museum. Additionally, there are other routes, such as 1A, 18, 28, 44, and 70 that stop at the «Alexander Barayev St.» bus stop.
Other tourist destinations near the Military History Museum:
- Respublika Avenue
- Esil River Embankment
- Atatürk Park
- Cathedral of Constantine and Helena
- Monument to Khan Kenesary
- Atyrau Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge
- Central Park
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