chapman taylor presents central asia's first contemporary arts museum in almaty, kazakhstan

almaty museum of arts to open next summer

In the summer of 2025, Kazakhstan will welcome a landmark institution to its cultural landscape — the Almaty Museum of Arts. As the first private museum in Central Asia dedicated to modern and contemporary art from the region, it will strengthen Almaty’s position within the global creative context. The space is designed by Chapman Taylor with Buro Happold and draws on the city’s dual identity as a cosmopolitan center and a gateway to the peaks of the Tian Shan mountains. Two interlocking L-shaped structures represent these contrasting layers, with one clad in limestone to echo the natural landscape, and the other in aluminum to reflect the city.

Inside, the galleries will host over 700 works from its founder’s private collection, ranging from Kazakh pioneers like Aisha Galimbayeva and Rustam Khalfin to international acclaimed artists such as Richard Serra, Bill Viola, and Yinka Shonibare. The inclusion of commissioned outdoor sculptures and experimental internal spaces like the luminous Art Street corridor will invite visitors to engage with art beyond the confines of traditional white cubes.

all renders by Chapman Taylor. courtesy Almaty Museum of Arts | sculpture © Yinka Shonibare CBE

chapman taylor looks to almaty’s mountains and urban core

Global architecture firm Chapman Taylor presents an angular design that integrates panoramic views across terraces extending from all levels, while emphasizing functionality within. Spanning 9,400 square meters, the museum’s galleries will accommodate various mediums and scales of artworks, as well as public programming and artist rooms.

Its 12-meter-high gallery for temporary exhibitions allows for ambitious curatorial projects, while dedicated conservation labs and art storage facilities ensure preservation of the collection. A café, shop, and event spaces further enhance the Almaty Museum of Arts’ role as a community hub, inviting public visitors of all ages as well as art professionals.

Kazakhstan to welcome a landmark institution — the Almaty Museum of Arts | sculpture © Yinka Shonibare CBE

celebrating central asian and global artists alike

The museum will inaugurate its programming with two exhibitions that explore distinct facets of the region’s identity and its dialogues with the global art world. Kazakh artist Almagul Menlibayeva will headline with I Understand Everything, her first retrospective, curated by Gridthiya Gaweewong. The exhibition will feature works spanning from the 1980s to the present, including paintings, lightboxes, and immersive video installations, examining overlooked narratives and histories of Central Asia.  

Running alongside this will be Qonaqtar, a group exhibition curated by Inga Lāce that will investigate themes of migration and hospitality, with a focus on Kazakhstan and its neighboring regions. These exhibitions will be complemented by an opening performance art program curated by Anne Davidian, which will include live performances and films and discussions inspired by the region’s musical heritage.

designed by Chapman Taylor with Buro Happold

over 700 works shape the museum’s collection

The Almaty Museum of Arts’ collection reflects the breadth of modern and contemporary art from Kazakhstan and Central Asia while establishing connections with the global art scene. From the collection of the musuem’s founder, Nurlan Smagulov, it includes seminal works by Kazakh modernists like Aisha Galimbayeva, Salikhitdin Aytbayev, and Shaimardan Sariyev, as well as contemporary pieces by Rustam Khalfin, Yerbossyn Meldibekov, and Saule Suleimenova. Regional representation extends to artists like Saodat Ismailova from Uzbekistan and Jazgul Madazimova from Kyrgyzstan.

International works, including a ceramic mural by Fernand Léger, a walkthrough sculpture by Richard Serra, and an audiovisual installation by Bill Viola, anchor the collection within a broader artistic dialogue. Specially commissioned pieces by Alicja Kwade and Yinka Shonibare will also enliven the museum’s outdoor spaces.

two interlocking structures representing the city’s built and natural landscapes | sculpture © Yinka Shonibare CBE

the Art Street corridor invites visitors to engage with art beyond the confines of traditional white cubes

permanent exhibition hall accommodating artworks across various mediums and scales

project info:

name: Almaty Museum of Arts

architect: Chapman Taylor | @chapman_taylor_architects

location: Almaty, Kazakhstan

engineer: Buro Happold | @buro_happold

collaborator: Lord Cultural Resources